Shortcake with lemon curd and clotted cream

Method

1. For the lemon curd, beat the whole eggs and the yolk together in a bowl, then strain into a medium heatproof bowl. Strain in the lemon juice, then add the zest, 115g sugar, 75g butter and cornflour. Rest the bowl over a pan of just simmering water and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes until very thick, taking care not to let the mixture get too hot or it will curdle. Transfer to another bowl and cool slightly, then cover with cling film and leave to cool completely.
2. For the shortcake, heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add the chilled butter and whizz briefly until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl, then stir in the 60g sugar.
3. Beat the egg with 1½ tbsp of the milk. Add to the bowl and stir with a fork until the mixture starts to clump slightly. If it seems too dry, add the rest of the milk. Gather the dough together into a ball, turn out onto a floured surface and knead, briefly and very gently, until smooth. Gently roll out the dough into a disc 1cm thick and 23cm across. Lift it onto a lightly buttered baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
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4. Cool on a wire rack, then halve the shortcake horizontally using a serrated knife. Lift the top piece onto a board and cut into 8 wedges. Put the base of the shortcake on a flat serving plate. Spread with the clotted cream, then spoon a third of the lemon curd over (or more if you’d like your shortcake more lemony) and swirl with a knife – see tip. Top with the shortcake wedges, then dust with icing sugar.