Coconut, Lime and Passion Fruit Curd Scones
Prep. Time:
30 minutes
Baking Time:
14-16 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 30 minutes
Serves:
12 scones
Christiaan created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Season 15. For the Series 15 Final Signature Challenge, the three finalists were asked to produce 24 scones — 12 sweet and 12 savory. Christiaan's sweet offering combined toasted coconut and lime in the scone dough with a homemade passion fruit curd for serving — a tropical combination that showcased his love of citrus and bold flavors. The judges praised the pronounced coconut flavor and the delicious curd, calling the scones "excellent" and awarding Christiaan first place in the Signature round. This recipe addresses the slight spreading noted during filming by ensuring cold butter, chilled dough, and a high oven temperature for strong initial rise.
Ingredients
Instructions
MAKE THE PASSION FRUIT CURD (DAY BEFORE OR SEVERAL HOURS AHEAD):
1. Prepare the passion fruit pulp. If using fresh passion fruit, halve about 8-10 fruits and scoop the pulp into a blender. Pulse briefly to loosen the seeds from the membrane — do not puree the seeds themselves. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly to extract all the juice. You need ½ cup (120 ml) of strained juice. Reserve a tablespoon of seeds for garnish if desired. If using frozen pulp, thaw completely and strain.
2. Set up a double boiler. Place a heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water.
3. Combine and cook. Whisk together the passion fruit juice, sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, salt, and lime juice in the bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and holds a line when you draw your finger through it, about 8-12 minutes. The curd should reach 160-170°F (71-77°C). Do not let it exceed 180°F (82°C) or the eggs may scramble.
4. Finish with butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter one piece at a time, allowing each piece to melt and incorporate before adding the next. The cold butter helps emulsify and further thicken the curd.
5. Strain and chill. Pass the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar or bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled and set, at least 2 hours. Curd can be made up to 5 days ahead.
TOAST THE COCONUT:
6. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the coconut in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast for 5-8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Watch carefully — coconut goes from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove and cool completely before using.
MAKE THE SCONE DOUGH:
7. Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the lime zest and rub it into the sugar with your fingertips until the mixture is fragrant and the zest is evenly distributed — this releases the essential oils and intensifies the lime flavor. Stir in the cooled toasted coconut.
8. Cut in the butter. Add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. These butter pieces create the flaky layers in the finished scone. Alternatively, grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into the flour mixture and toss to coat.
9. Add the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a fork or spatula, stir gently until the dough just comes together. It should be slightly shaggy — do not overmix. A few dry spots are fine; they will hydrate as the dough rests.
10. Shape the scones. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat gently into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, then fold in thirds like a letter. Rotate 90 degrees and pat out again to 1 inch thick. This folding creates flaky layers. Using a sharp 2½-inch (6 cm) round cutter dipped in flour, cut scones pressing straight down without twisting — twisting seals the edges and prevents proper rise. Gather scraps gently and cut remaining scones. You should get 12.
11. Chill the scones. Place cut scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes. This is critical for preventing spreading during baking — cold butter creates steam pockets that help the scones rise rather than melt outward.
BAKE:
12. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) while the scones chill.
13. Egg wash and bake. Whisk together the egg and coconut milk for the wash. Brush the tops of the chilled scones lightly — avoid dripping wash down the sides, which can glue the edges and inhibit rise. Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through. The scones should sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom.
14. Cool briefly. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 5-10 minutes. Scones are best served warm.
SERVE:
15. Split each warm scone and serve with a generous spoonful of clotted cream and passion fruit curd. If desired, scatter a few reserved passion fruit seeds over the curd for visual contrast and a pleasant crunch.
