Orange Buttermilk Scones and Fresh Lime Curd

Growing up, we would sometimes get a special treat for breakfast. Most often, my dad would make us pancakes or french toast. Less often, but oh so wonderful, my mom would bake fresh scones. She'd use Garvey's Traditional Scone Mix, purchased at Williams-Sonoma, and they would bake up so perfect and beautiful. Dense and covered with sugar, served warm straight from the oven, we'd crack them open and spread on some lemon curd. What a wonderful way to start any weekend.

I had some leftover buttermilk in my fridge that needed using so I began searching through buttermilk recipes. When I came across a highly-rated Buttermilk Scone recipe on FoodNetwork.com, I started day-dreaming about the scones my mom bakes and began searching for a lemon curd recipe as well. Lemons were out of stock at the market so I decided to make lime curd instead.

The scones turned out just OK. They were more cakey that I would have liked. I think I added too much flour when I was trying to work with the dough. It was really sticky and difficult to roll out. The lime curd, however, turned out so tasty. Tangy and sweet, just how I imagined it would be. I have a lot of curd left over so I will have to find some other use for it in the next couple weeks.

Orange Buttermilk Scones

adapted from M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

zest of 1/2 large orange

1 Tbs heavy cream, for brushing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with a pastry cutter until a coarse meal is formed. Add buttermilk and OJ and mix just until combined. Stir in zest. Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lime Curd

adapted from Alton Brown

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

4 limes, zested and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon (this took about 20 minutes for me). Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Strain into a clean container to remove zest and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

I was worried when I went to use the curd the next day. I pulled it from the fridge and the top layer was a bit stiff and it was still a bit watery underneath. I whisked it all together and which thickened it back up. Very good curd!