Serves:
MAKES 20 SCONES
Active Time:
25 minutes
Start to Finish:
1 Hour Figgy Scones
Most scone doughs are either patted into a round and sliced into wedges or cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, but this tender batter is simply dropped by the spoonful onto baking sheets. The scones are dotted with diced amber-colored Calimyrna figs, which are grown in California (the same type of fig is called Smyrna if grown in Turkey or Greece); the dried fruit lends a pleasing complicated sweetness to this recipe.
Ingredients
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound dried Calimyrna figs, stems discarded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large egg yolks
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: parchment paper
Instructions
Put racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together buttermilk, syrup, and 1⁄2 cup cream in a small bowl. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in bowl of a stand mixer and mix with paddle attachment at low speed (or whisk together in a large bowl) until combined. Add butter and mix (or blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-sized) lumps. Mix in figs, then add buttermilk mixture and mix until just combined; do not overmix.
Drop ten 1⁄4-cup mounds of batter onto each lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between mounds.
Whisk together yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons cream and brush over tops of scones (use all of egg wash).
Bake, switching position of baking sheets halfway through baking, until scones are puff ed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to warm.
COOK’S NOTE
The scones are best eaten the day they’re made.