Fig and Fennel Scones
Birthday mania around here. We had 25 people in our 800 square feet yesterday. Why do I clean before parties? What is the point?! I suppose it’s for that first guest. They can walk in without tripping over a pile of shoes, and I can lay their coat on an unrumpled bed. After that, trying to maintain any sense of order would just be inhospitable.
Whenever my kids’ birthdays roll around, I think of the street kids I used to work with. We made big deals out of birthdays. I’d be in my office above the drop-in center, and someone would bound up the stairs and holler, “Anyone that wants to sing Happy Birthday, come on down!” We’d leave whatever we were working on to gather round some pierced, tattooed, bashful kid, and we’d sing at the top of our lungs. Often, they’d never been sung to before. I always teared up watching them blow out their candles. Now that I’m a mother, I’m a basketcase when I think about any child, anywhere, who might not feel loved and celebrated the way my children do almost every day of their lives.
I ordered a big, hideous cake for Loretta’s breakfast party. She said she wanted a rainbow, sun, and clouds. White cake with raspberry filling, absolutely laden with frosting. For the adults, I made a frittata and these scones. There’s already a few variations of this recipe floating around In Praise of Leftovers. These are my favorite so far–packed with oats, candied ginger and dried figs (sorry-can’t keep myself from using them), and a hint of fennel (which kept the kids away from them–perfect).
Fig and Fennel Scones
This is a variation on Nick Malgheri’s tried and true Oatmeal Raisin Scones. You could certainly leave out the fennel, figs, and ginger, and just sub raisins or another dried fruit. I use a food processor to make mine. You could do it by hand, too. Predicatably, the point is not to overwork the dough.
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. rolled oats (not instant)
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 Tb. baking powder
1/2 ts. baking soda
1/2 ts. fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1 ts. salt
8 Tb. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1/4 c. finely chopped candied ginger
1/2 c. coarsely chopped dried figs
1 c. buttermilk, plus more for brushing tops
1 Tb. turbinado or regular sugar
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450.
Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 times.
Cut the butter into 12 pieces, add to the bowl, and pulse 12 times, until the mixture resembles fine meal. Add ginger, figs, and cup of milk and pulse 3 or 4 times to form a very soft dough.
Generously flour your work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and fold it over on itself 3 or 4 times, until it is less sticky.
Pat dough into two discs, cutting each into 6 wedges. Brush top with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake scones for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden and firm. Be careful not to overbake.
Happy birthday Loretta!
I quess I’ll rethink my hospitality guidelines. 800 square feet of laughter, chaotic fun, catch up, beaming grandparents, cousins hugging and screaming at each other,yummy scones, toys all over the floor, and a gracious hostess that is more concerned about her guest feeling welcome than all the crap on the floor. This = one celebrated girl, who knows she’s loved and adored. Does anything else matter?
amen!! sorry to miss you mfm. glad i got to hear some of the glorious, happiest f*ing screaming ever before i had to bolt.
That’s right–nothing else does matter. And the scones sound and look scrumptious. Gotta love scones and the variability of them. Made some this morning for our early risers on the worship team.
It reminds me of RFKC and how blessed your kids are (& mine) everyday.
I bet the parents loved their treats!
Wish we could go birthday caroling at the jail.
I know this is my 3rd comment on this post, but I wanted to say that Julia and I enjoyed the Fig Fennel scones! Well I did anyway. Julia was reserved and saved hers for later. Mine was a perfect mid-afternoon snack. I would never think of putting that assortment of things together.
Em, I mentioned to Jim on the way home it was the 1st Murphy-Kangas birthday gathering I’ve been to that you weren’t there.Obviously you were missed. What a CUTE picture of you and Loretta catching up.
You amaze me on so many levels! Call me scone challenged, but I have never made a scone that could not have doubled as a hockey puck.
LOVE the pic of emily and loretta. yummy looking scones. loretta’s one lucky girl.
Oh, wow. These scones sound wonderful and look amazing. I have never thought to put fennel seed in scones - what a great idea! I’ve been on the hunt for a fun new scone idea. Thank you!
[...] basic recipe, via Orangette, that I like to use when the scone craving hits. And this recipe for fig and fennel scones, from the amazing food blog In Praise of Leftovers, is the next one I’m going to try! Num [...]
Eeek! That pic of L + HM is so cute! What do you mean “hideous”?!
Beautiful cake!! It was all HM could talk about leading up to the party, and the cake hadn’t even been created yet! “Loretta says I can have a rainbow piece!!” Delightful.
I want rainbows, sun, and clouds too! Loretta and I must think alike.
I may have to give fennel another try - I tried roasting it once, by itself, and didn’t care for it.
Hooray for Loretta’s Birthday - you are such a good momma.