Fig & Mascarpone Scones

I have to admit that I started out the year feeling uninspired to cook and grocery shopping was just not going to happen given the frigid temperatures outside.  But after a few days in the Caribbean sun, I felt rejuvenated and ready to get back to work.  I don’t know what caught my attention with this recipe, I don’t usually go out of my way for figs (I have even been known to make fun of those who pick fig newtons as their cookie of choice) and it is based on a recipe from a bakery in Atlanta I have never heard of.  Whatever the reason, I sure am glad I tried these.

I doubled this recipe and put half in the freezer just in case I hit another cooking slump.  They freeze beautifully and if you are already putting in the work, why not stock up for a rainy day – or the next polar vortex.

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Fig & Mascarpone Scones

Yield: about 10 scones

Ingredients

For the Scones:

1. 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter

2. 2 cups all-purpose flour

3. 1 cup whole wheat flour

4. ¼ cup granulated sugar

5. 1 tbl baking powder

6. 1 tsp kosher salt

7. ½ cup chopped dried figs

8. ¾ cup half and half (plus more for brushing tops of scones)

9. 2 eggs

10. ¼ cup mascarpone

11. 2 tbl fig preserves or jam

12. sugar in the raw, for dusting (optional)

For the glaze:

1. ¼ cup fig preserves or jam

2. 2 to 3 tbl water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Cut butter into small cubes and put into fridge while preparing other ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.

4. Cut in butter into dry ingredients: this can be done using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, a pastry blender, or your fingers. If using your hands, pinch butter cubes between fingers, working flour into the butter until about the size of an almond.

5. Stir in chopped figs.

6. In a different bowl, whisk together cream, mascarpone, eggs and 2 tbl of fig preserves. Add this into the flour mixture, mixing just until combined

7. Scoop dough out onto a floured countertop and form into a disc about 1 inch thick.

8. Using a round cookie cutter (I used a 1½ inch cutter), cut out scones and place onto prepared baking sheet.

9. Brush tops with half and half and sprinkle with sugar in the raw if desired.*

10. Bake 15-20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.

1. While scones are cooking, make the glaze: in a small sauce pan over low heat, combine preserves and water. Cook, whisking often (to prevent the sugar in the jam from burning) until warmed through and the water has fully mixed into jam.

2. Drizzle glaze over warm scones and serve immediately.

Notes

*if you want to freeze scones, place on a parchment-lined flat surface (whatever will fit into your freezer) and place in freezer. Once frozen, scones can be put into a Ziploc bag and kept for up to 6 months. There is no need to fully thaw before cooking, simply remove from freezer, place on parchment-lined baking sheet and continue with instructions.

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