Fall has always been my favorite season. When I bake these Fig Scones, it always reminds me that Summer is coming to an end. Not only that, but that glorious Fall is close at hand.
For those who don’t know, figs ripen at the end of Summer, at least here in San Diego. And when they ripen, look out; you end up having an explosion of figs that have to be used all at once.
I always start with eating the figs right off the tree. Eventually, I start using them in my favorite fig recipes. Fig Preserves, is usually first on the list, followed by Fig Newtons, Fig Bread, Candied Figs, and of course, these delicious Fig Scones with cardamom and orange glaze.
Having Scones in Christchurch
I’ve always wanted to visit the UK, and while there, have tea and scones. So when I finally visited the UK a few years ago for my 50th birthday, tea and scones were on top of my list.
While we were strolling the streets of Christchurch, I saw a quaint tearoom straight out of my imagination. Of course, we had to go inside to investigate. Not only was it just like I imagined, but the scone was huge and delicious!
The tearoom had a large outdoor seating section that I asked to be seated in. Unfortunately, we were told it wasn’t open yet. That is until we were seated inside, of course.
Some Scone Related Facts
The word “scone” made its appearance in the 1500s. Scones originated in Scotland, where they were cooked in a griddle, like a pancake, then divided into sections after they were cooked.
It wasn’t until the mid-1800’s when baking powder became available, that scones were cooked in the oven. Scones are generally lightly sweetened and served with jam and clotted cream.
Some add-ins include raisins, dates, and currants. There are also savory scones with ingredients like cheese, bacon, chives, and potatoes.
Fig Scones & Good Memories…
This Fig Scones recipe has always been very popular with my friends. As a matter of fact, every time I make them, I think about the time I baked some to take along on a ladies’ weekend getaway to Lake Arrowhead.
We drove up in a few cars. The ladies that were in the car with me got to enjoy the scones during the long road trip. We would also tease the other ladies with our scones when their vehicles came alongside ours. I love how food can bring back certain foods.
Fig Scones Directions
I think people assume baking scones is a difficult process. But actually, it’s very simple! Just follow these simple steps.
- Mix the dry ingredients.
- Cut in the butter.
- Incorporate the wet ingredients.
- Form into a round mound.
- Slicing the dough into sections (similar to cutting a pizza) and place on a cookie sheet.
- Bake until golden in color.
- Glaze & enjoy!
The exact amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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fresh fig scones with a delicious orange glaze
- 2-1/2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 T. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 T. orange zest
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter chilled
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup fresh figs chopped
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 T. orange juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 T. half and half (to brush the tops with)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. orange juice
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cardamom, baking powder, salt, and orange zest. Using a pastry knife, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
- Mix in pecans and figs, until they’re evenly coated. This keeps the pecans and figs from sinking to the bottom of the scones.
- Whisk buttermilk, orange juice, vanilla, and egg. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour the liquids in the center.
- Use a fork to gradually mix the liquids into the flour. Don’t overwork the dough.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface, and form into an 8″ circle.
- Divide dough into 8 sections using a dough scraper. If dough is too sticky, dip the scraper in flour. Press a slice of fig into each piece.
- Transfer to a baking sheet, covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Leave plenty of room between them, as they will expand. Brush with half and half and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they start to brown.
- Cool scones on a cooling rack while you make the glaze.
- Glaze: Mix glaze ingredients until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over cooled scones, and enjoy!
