My “wee” brother Timmy called me the other day. Uh oh, I thought!…(knee-jerk big sister reaction)…what’s wrong?
Much to my relief and excitement he told me he was upholding his annual tradition of making our grandmother’s Irish Potato recipe…would I like him to make some for me and would I like delivery?
Uh…someone making something for me and delivering? Yes, please. You don’t have to ask this coconut-loving sugar addict twice!
So this morning when I woke up in anticipation of the arrival of this Irish delight I decided to make something for him. But what? I had butter, flour, sugar, eggs and chocolate chips on hand. But cookies were too obvious and not very Irish.
So, as I sat “away with fairies” drinking my coffee and dreaming up something I spotted the bottle of Bailey’s, wee Timmy’s favorite! Resisting the urge to turn my first cup o’the day into Irish coffee, I instead modified a favorite recipe and Bailey’s “Irish” Scones were born!
I consider myself a scone snob, a scone-ommelier, if you will and the ratios in this recipe, inspired by Orange Scones with Chocolate Chips in Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau, no matter how I modify it, come out perfect every time. The result, IMHO, is the perfect texture - lightly golden crisp on the outside with the perfect balance of moisture and dryness on the inside.
So give it a lash and may the luck o’the Irish be with you!
BAILEY’S “IRISH” SCONES
Yield: 12 large scones
4 cups flour
! TBSP + 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
!/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 lbs cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment.
Place dry ingredients, flour through cinnamon, in food processor and pulse until combined. Add butter and continue to pulse until incorporated you have a moist crumb mixture.
in another bowl, whisk eggs, breaking up the yolks. Whisk in vanilla and Baileys until well blended. Add mixture and chocolate chips to dry ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon until no flour is visible. Alternatively, stir in electric mixer with dough hook on lowest setting just until combined. Dough will be very heavy and slightly sticky.
Drop by 1/2 cup scoopfuls onto lined baking sheet spacing 2” apart. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top (optional). Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Transfer pans to wire rack to allow scones to cool for a few minutes. Then transfer scones from baking sheet directly to the wire rack. Scones can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. For an extra luxe experience serve with butter or clotted cream.