Irish Coffee Scones with Whiskey Butter

Let's talk about scones today guys.  In the past I haven't been very enthusiastic about scones.  I've had some that were good, but they've always been a take it or leave it kind of thing for me.  Normally I would look right past a scone and go for some cake, but that all changed last weekend when I made these little gems.  I have made five batches since then, I think that says something!
I've been on a bit of a Baileys kick lately, and I thought it would be pretty cool if I could put Baileys in a scone.  Once this seed was planted in my head, I automatically thought I should make Irish coffee scones.  Normally I use buttermilk in scones so I wasn't sure if this would work, but there's only one way to find out!  It took a few tries, but I nailed it.  The Baileys works because of the creamy consistency, and combined with coffee, gives these scones a really rich flavor.  My other trick when I make scones is that I always use half cake flour.  I was so happy with the outcome that I seriously could not wait to share these.  They're a bit different from any scone I have ever made, in that they are more cake like than biscuit like.  Almost like a light pancake wrapped in a scone.  That's the best way I can describe it, you will understand when you try them!  Then that perfectly golden crust that gets a slight crunch from a sprinkling of sugar in the raw is like icing on the cake.  Amazing how in one week I went from not enthusiastic to enthralled!
The last part of this recipe has to do with the butter.  Since I'm calling these Irish coffee scones, Irish whiskey needed to get involved.  When I thought about it, why just serve them with butter when you can have boozy butter.  I whipped some butter with Jameson, and the outcome was simply delightful. These were such a hit at brunch on Sunday, I hope you make them!

Irish Coffee Scones

• 1 and 1/4 cups AP flour
• 1 and 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1t. salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold & cubed
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup strong coffee
• 1/4 cup Baileys

1. Brew coffee & set aside to cool.
2. Combine dries together in a bowl.
3. Cut in cold, cubed butter.
4. Whisk eggs with cool coffee and Baileys.
5. Add to dry ingredients and mix till it comes together. This is a wet dough at first & kind of sticky.   It will come together.    
6. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
7. Pat dough out into a circle.  You can use a rolling pin if you want, I use my hands to shape it.
8. Slice dough into 8 wedges & refrigerate till ready to bake.  Make sure they're cold when they go in the oven.
9. Brush with heavy cream & sprinkle with sugar in the raw.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 17-20 minutes rotating once halfway through.  This bake time is when they were frozen.  If you are baking them when they have just been chilled, start checking them at 15 minutes.

*Yield 8 scones

Whiskey Butter

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1T. Irish whiskey, I use Jameson
• pinch of salt

1. Whip butter with whiskey and salt.
2. Pipe into a pretty butter dish.  Totally optional, but looks so pretty!

Scone Making Tips:

• Make sure your butter is cold.
• When you combine the liquids and the dries, don't over mix or the dough will get tough.
• Brushing the tops with heavy cream before baking adds a nice richness, and makes the sugar stick.
• Sprinkling sugar in the raw on top before baking gives them that crunchy top.
• These are best the day they are baked.  I make a batch, keep them in the freezer, and bake them off when needed.