Figs and kumquats.. wow. I love them both and really, a kumquat is pretty much an orange on steroids with very little sweetness. They are loaded with vitamin C and Werner and I love to just pop them as they are for a snack. Ok.. so we are not always normal! That said… add them to a rich fig scone and you just have a flavor combination that will knock your socks off. The frosted flakes as a bit of crunch when you eat them but if you don’t have them don’t let that stop you. Make them without!
Kumquats are not available all year long. You can usually find them in Feb, March and sometimes April. If you cannot find them use orange peel and chop it finely.. about 2 Tbsp. I usually just wait to make them when I can find kumquats.
Yum. My test batch was gone before it was cooled. Off to make another.
Kumquat and Fig Scones
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ tsp baking powder
pinch baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold butter, cubed
1 large egg
2 tbsp. cream (half and half or milk)
½ tsp vanilla extract
7 dried figs, cut into small pieces
¼ cup boiling water
8 kumquats, sliced and diced, seeds removed
½ cup frosted cornflakes, to roll them in before baking
Cut the figs into the small pieces, place in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them
Allow to stand while working. Stir occasionally
Preheat the oven to 400F
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir with a wire whisk to combine
Add the cubed butter and process with a pastry blender or in a food processor. You can also rub it with cold hands to distribute the butter till it resembles a coarse cornmeal making sure there are no large butter lumps remaining
Chop the kumquats and discard seeds and stems
Add the kumquats and soaked figs to the flour mixture
Toss gently
Add the figs and water they were soaked in to the mixture
Add the egg/cream mixture reserving 1 tbsp. to brush the scones
Mix gently with a spoon or spatula till well combined but do not over mix
Scoop out with a medium ice cream scoop onto a lined baking tray (silicone mat or parchment paper work well)
Brush with the remaining cream mixture
Sprinkle/press the frosted flakes on the surface (this adds crunch )
Bake for 13-15 min
Cool on a rack and serve warm
Freezing scones: Scones are always best served warm from the oven. You know.. when the butter melt all over them. I like to freeze them when they are dipped onto the baking sheet. If you know ahead that you are going to freeze the batch, add an additional 1/2 tsp baking powder. Leavening looses some of it’s punch in the freezer so you add 25% more when mixing. Then, just dip them out onto the baking sheet, pop in the freezer and when frozen remove them into a ziplock back to store air tight. When you are ready to bake, take out the number you want and place them frozen on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven and put the tempered (meaning out of the freezer for a few min) scones onto the baking sheet and bake as directed. Oddly enough, they may take a few minutes more from frozen but not much more. Check them at 15 min and add another 5 or so if they are not golden brown. This is one of the best innkeeper tricks of all times. You can even mix and match what you bake so you have a variety. Check out the post on ricotta muffins by Kristie.. we do the same thing there.
Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast
Debbie Mosimann
The Lititz PA Broad