Fig Gouda Scones with Rosemary

Well I certainly didn’t mean to begin a Fig Series… but that’s just what happens when you cook with the seasons!  I’ve had the best time coming up with fun and different fig recipes these past couple of weeks.  First there was the Double Crust Fig Pie with Vanilla Chèvre Ice Cream, then came the Fig Mule (a delicious and equally refreshing twist on the Moscow Mule), and now…

…I give you some scones.  I don’t think I’ve shared a scone recipe with you in a long time.  And for that, I am truly sorry.  Making scones is one of my favorite things.  I can make them in my sleep (Ok, that’s actually not true. I’m a terribly light sleeper, so technically ‘I can robot-make them while sleepy and braindead’ is far more accurate). And I always do it when I have houseguests coming… they’ve sort of become expected at this point, I believe.  Scones are the perfect breakfast goodie for overnight guests.  You can make them ahead of time, they’re very freezer friendly, they can be patiently waiting on the countertop for when each guest gets hungry, they travel well when you send the extras home with them… and everyone just loves a scone.

Rumor has it, mine are the best.  But that’s not coming from me.  No.  I’m too modest for such braggery.

They’re also just one of my favorite treats to give someone as a gift.  Something about a scone seems so cozy and comforting, yet also sorta fancy and important.

So the other day I basically started robot-making scones, preparing for my houseguests, but not really knowing what flavor yet.  And I looked over to the giant bowl of ripe and freshly picked figs on my countertop.  Then my brain went to cheese… first to young goat cheese, because it’s a natural progression, but then I stopped and rerouted my thoughts.  I looked through my abundantly stocked cheese drawer and chunks of leftover cheeses from a recent pizza party caught my eye.  I had manchego, pecorino and cave-aged gouda.  So I sliced open a fig and cut off a little piece of each cheese, put a combo of each in my mouth, and had myself a little taste test party.

The fig + aged gouda won my heart immediately.  Without contest.  Aged gouda has a robust flavor, a bit nutty, buttery, and almost caramelly.  It’s fantastic and not at all like the domestic and oftentimes ‘smoked gouda’ you find here in the states.

(By the way, did you know it’s pronounced ‘how-da’?  Totally is. I know, right?)

And I’m a big fan of herbs paired with figs and cheese… it can be thyme, mint, basil… but I’ve worked with rosemary before in my scones with great success and knew it would pair well.

(see Rosemary Cheddar Nut Scones)

And it did.

These scones are so so lovely.  They’re just sweet enough, just rich enough, and the juiciness of the fresh figs makes them delicately tender.  You almost can’t put them down once you take your first bite.

And you certainly don’t want to.

I served them to my Other Brother and favorite Aunt when they came to stay with us for a couple nights last week.  I think I got their approval… two of them disappeared in zip bag form to be sent home to South Carolina.  And that’s the best compliment I could receive.

I also have a couple in my freezer if anyone’s interested 😉

FIG GOUDA SCONES WITH ROSEMARY

• In the bowl of your food processor, combine the following…
• 3 cups AP flour (or whole wheat pastry flour for a high fiber sub)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 TB baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 TB, packed, fresh rosemary leaves stripped from about 2 stems

Pulse this to fully mix the dry ingredients and break down the rosemary.  You want the herbs to disappear as much as possible into the flour mixture.

Add to it…

• 1 1/2 sticks (12 TB) unsalted butter, diced and freezer-cold (I always place my diced butter on a plate and place it in the freezer at the beginning of my scone making)

Pulse this until the butter breaks down and mixes into the dry.

Through the pour spout of the processor, while mixing, add in…

• roughly 1/3-1/2 cup very cold half & half or heavy cream 

Pour slowly, and stop when the mixture become moistened and when you pinch some with your fingertips, it comes together.

Transfer to a clean work surface.  It will not be a moist dough ball at this point, but rather more like wet sand.

Before you gather it together to shape, add in…

• 4 oz cave aged gouda, shredded
• 1 rounded cup of halved fresh and ripe figs- which is about 6 oz and roughly 15 of the small ones

(NOT domestic, smoked gouda… This is very, very important. The two are not one in the same.  The most important thing is to search for an imported, ‘aged’ gouda…whether or not that aging was done in a cave, is not highly imperative.)

Mix the figs and the cheese in with your hands.  It will become a bit goopy and kinda squishy.  Just try to incorporate the cheese evenly, and keep the fig pieces as in tact as possible…while also not handling the dough too much!

Shape into a flat disk.

Cut into 8 triangles, as if you’re slicing a pie.

Transfer (carefully) each triangle onto an UNGREASED cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the tops with some cane or white sugar.

Place ON THE TOP RACK of a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove, allow to cool on a rack and firm up.

Once firm and cool to the touch, serve immediately…

….or store at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.  Then wrap in plastic and then in a freezer zip bag for up to 3 months.

Your guests, (and you!) will thank you 😉

Thanks for reading, y’all! Enjoy your day. xo