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–+ servings

Sugared Fig Scones

4.67 | 3 reviews
These sugary fig scones are light, flakey, crusted with melted sugar and golden all over. The figs stay deeply red, due to their red wine syrup, and the flavor is beautifully sweet. In the short fig season, these buttery, pull-apart scones are one of the absolute best things to make.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 scones

Equipment

Ingredients

For the red wine figs
  • 2 1/2 cups black mission figs, halved
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the scones
  • 226 grams salted butter, 1 cup
  • 420 grams all-purpose flour, 3 cups
  • 50 grams granulated sugar, 1/4 cup
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 scant tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 300 grams buttermilk, chilled, plus extra for brushing, 1 1/4 cup
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Instructions 

  1. Begin by poaching the figs. Add the red wine and sugar to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a simmer, stir for 2-3 minutes to dissolve the sugar fully, then add the figs.
  2. Mix so that the figs are coated in the red wine. Then let it simmer, stirring only occasionally, for 12-15 minutes as the red wine reduces by half. When you can swipe a spatula across the pan and see the bottom for a few seconds, the figs are finished.
  3. Transfer the figs to a bowl and let them chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  4. When the figs are fully chilled, begin the scones.
  5. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
  6. Either grate or chop the butter into 1 cm square cubes. Place them in the freezer while you prep the other ingredients.
  7. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Remove the butter from the freezer and add it in. Tossing to coat the butter fully in flour, mashing up the pieces so they all lay flat.
  8. Add half the buttermilk and mix it in with a fork. Add the second half and mix again. The dough should be crumbly, but beginning to get sticky.
  9. Transfer the crumbly dough onto a clean (and preferably cold) work surface. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together. Fold the dough over, press and shape again, then rotate 90 degrees and repeat the process. The dough will stay crumbly, but will start to form together. Pat it down until it is 2 inches tall.
  10. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into threes. Take 1/4 cup of the figs and layer it on top of one piece of dough, press another piece of dough on top. Layer more figs onto that piece of dough, then layer the last piece on top. Press it down to laminate the figs inside the dough.
  11. Cut the dough into halves, add another layer of figs and laminate again. Press the dough down, cut it in half, and stack it on top of itself and press down again. You'll start to see layers of bright purple figs.
  12. Pat the dough down into a large circle, about 2 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide. Slice the circle into 8 pieces.
  13. Lay the scones out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
  14. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until deeply golden on top. Enjoy warm!