Figgy Buckwheat Scones Recipe
These jammy, fig-swirled buckwheat scones are from Kim Boyce's inspiring new book, Good to the Grain, about baking with whole-grain flours.
I've been waiting for months to write this post. The better part of a year, even. I'm positively itching to share this with you, so here we go. Late last summer (the lovely, gracious, talented) Luisa Weiss let me spend some time with the proofs of a baking book she was working on. She said she thought I'd like it. Which, it tuns out, was a dramatic understatement. The book she shared with me, Good to the Grain, is about baking with whole grain flours. It was written by Kim Boyce, and photographed by Quentin Bacon.
There aren't many people writing contemporary books on whole grain baking. Among those few, this one is special. In a sentence, a top-flight pastry chef intersects whole grain flours in her home kitchen. To back up a bit, Kim is a former pastry chef with major chops (Spago / Campanile) who left the professional kitchen to raise her family. Her book delves into her exploration of a broad range of whole grain flours, each of the twelve main chapters explores a separate flour - whole-wheat flour, amaranth flour, barley flour, buckwheat flour, corn flour, kamut flour, multigrain flour, oat flour, quinoa flour, rye flour, spelt flour, and yes...even teff flour.
Here's the quote I gave for the back of the book,"There was a point in my life when I realized limiting myself to baking with all-purpose flour was like limiting myself to painting with just one color. Kim Boyce's collection of beautifully rustic recipes inspires us to move enthusiastically into the rich palette of flavorful whole-grain flours and explore all they have to offer. I just can't get enough of this book."
I wrote a good amount about baking with whole grain flours in SNC, but to see what someone like Kim is doing with them is both exciting and inspiring for me. I could tell at a glance, wow, she's really excited about them too. It felt good to know someone like her was (mostly ;) having fun exploring this range of flours and this approach to baking. I love seeing what she is doing, and now I know who to email when I'm stumped.
I could write an entire post about the photography in Good to the Grain, but I'll save that for another day. Instead, I'll leave you with a few notes related to the Figgy Buckwheat Scones I baked last weekend. They're a bit of a project, but a fun one requiring two main components - the obscenely addictive fig butter (dried figs, port wine, red wine, spices, sugar) and the buckwheat scone dough. Make the fig butter ahead of time, and the scone dough is a breeze to pull together. They're complex and jammy with a hint of sweetness and lots of flavor coming from the magical collision of the caramelized sugars in the fig butter and the hot baking sheet.
Related links:
- Kim Boyce (on twitter)
- Cheryl writes about Kim's muesli (here)
- Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
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Figgy Buckwheat Scones
Kim's notes: I was inspired to create a scone with buckwheat and figs when I realized how similar they are. Both are ripe and jammy, almost winey. Imagine a sophisticated Fig Newton but less sweet. Although this scone recipe may seem a bit more time-consuming than others, remember that the Fig Butter can be made ahead of time.
Dry mix:
1 cup / 4.75 oz / 135 g buckwheat flour
1 1/4 cups / 5.5 oz / 160g all-purpose flour
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher saltWet mix:
4 ounces / 113 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups / 10 fl. oz / 300ml heavy cream1 cup / 8 oz Fig Butter (see recipe below)
1. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.
2. Add the butter to the dry mixture. Rub the butter between your fingers, breaking it into smaller bits. Continue rubbing until the butter is coarsely ground and feels like grains of rice. The faster you do this, the more the butter will stay solid, which is important for the success of the recipe. (HS note: for those of you who like to make short doughs in a food processor, that is what I did, and it worked out great).
3. Add the cream and gently mix it into the flour with a spatula until the dough is just combined.
4. Use a pastry scraper or a spatula to transfer the dough onto a well-floured surface. It will be sticky, so flour your hands and pat the dough into a rectangle. Grab a rolling pin and roll the dough into a rectangle that is 8 inches wide, 16 inches long, and 3/4 inch thick. If at any time the dough rolls off in a different direction, use your hands to square the corners and pat it back into shape. As you're rolling, periodically run a pastry scraper or spatula underneath to loosen the dough, flour the surface, and continue rolling. This keeps the dough from sticking. Flour the top of the dough if the rolling pin is sticking.
5. Spread the fig butter over the dough. Roll the long edge of the dough up, patting the dough as you roll so that it forms a neat log 16 inches long. Roll the finished log so that the seam is on the bottom and the weight of the roll seals the edge.
6. Use a sharp knife to slice the log in half. Put the halves on a baking sheet or plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (The dough can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 days.) While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. After 30 minutes, take both logs out of the refrigerator and cut each half into 6 equal pieces about 11/4 inches wide. Place each scone flat, with the spiral of the fig butter facing up, on a baking sheet, 6 to a sheet. Give the scones a squeeze to shape them into rounds.
8. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The scones are ready to come out when their undersides are golden brown. They are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day.
Makes 12 scones.
Fig Butter Recipe
Kim's headnotes: In this recipe, dried figs are cooked in a syrup of sugar, red wine, port, and spices, and then puréed until very smooth. Adding butter at the end gives the jam a wonderful richness and a beautiful gloss. Once finished, the fig butter can be smeared over the dough in Figgy Buckwheat Scones (above), creating a flavor-packed spiral. The scone recipe requires only half the amount of fig butter made here, so reserve the remaining spread for your morning toast--or use all the fig butter at once by doubling the scone recipe.
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g sugar
2 whole cloves
1 star anise
1 cup / 240 ml red wine
1/2 cup / 120 ml port
12 ounces / 340 g dried Black Mission figs, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces / 113g unsalted butter, softened
salt to taste (hs: suggestion)
1. To poach the figs, measure 1/4 cup / 60 ml water and the sugar into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir the mixture together with a wooden spoon, incorporating the sugar without splashing it up the sides. If crystals do get on the sides of the pot, use a clean pastry brush dipped in water to wipe them off. (The goal is to prevent the syrup from crystallizing.) Add the cloves and star anise.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium flame and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the syrup is amber-colored. For even coloring, the flame should not come up around the outside of the pot.
3. Add the red wine, port, figs, and cinnamon, standing back a bit, as the syrup is hot. Don't panic when the syrup hardens; this is the normal reaction when liquids are added to hot sugar. Continue cooking the mixture over a medium flame for 2 minutes, until the sugar and wine blend.
4. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The figs will burble quietly as they are jostled together by the flame; they are ready when the wine has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the stove and cool to room temperature.
5. Fish out the star anise and cloves. Pour the cooled figs, with their liquid, into a food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the softened butter to the fig paste and process until smooth. (HS note: At this point I folded in a few big pinches of salt as well).
The fig butter can be spread right onto the buckwheat scone dough or stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If it is refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before using.
Makes 2 cups.
Reprinted with permission from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2010)
Prep time: 100 minutes - Cook time: 45 minutes
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Comments
These scones look and sound absolutely fabulous! I want this book! Off to the bookstore.
I am currently in the middle of making these – this is my second attempt. The fig butter is absolutely delicious; I would like to try different types of red wine.
In response to some above comments, I would NOT recommend using any liquid other than heavy cream. I tried using half and half the first time, because I had already started the dough and had no heavy cream in the house, but it was a disaster. It definitely needs to be a certain consistency.
I haven’t baked this batch yet (they’re in the fridge) but I can already tell they aren’t going to be as pretty as the ones in the photo! I also own the book this recipe is from and it is fantastic – I highly recommend it!
Hello, Heidi:
I am de-lurking to thank you and Kim for these spectacular scones. Though the dough was quite sticky (thank goodness for parchment), the final product is well worth the effort. The rich, nutty jamminess was perfect with both our morning and afternoon tea. A truly remarkable recipe! I wish Kim all the best with her book sales and look forward to owning my own copy. Much thanks from my discerning fella, too.
Hi Heidi,
Are all buckwheat flours created equal? These just came out of the oven, and while they were unbelievably delicious (I think every single bite elicited a “wow” from my own mouth), they were not “blue” like yours. They looked like they could have been made with whole-wheat flour. Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Buildings are not very cheap and not everybody can buy it. Nevertheless, mortgage loans are invented to aid different people in such kind of situations.
These are fabulous! Is there any way to make then gluten free? What can I substitute for whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour? Thanks, Brenda
I bought this cookbook on your recommendation, and I am excited to try the figgy buckwheat scones. I am in Sweden and I know that I’ll be able to find dried figs without a problem , but I don’t think I will be able to find black mission figs. Do you think the recipe will turn out much different if I use a more common fig variety? Should I adjust the fig butter recipe at all? Thanks!
WOW! finally got around to making these. they are amazing. I really never thought a grain and fruit could complement each other so well. mine didn’t look as dark as yours in the picture, I wonder why. Regardless, they are so rich and delicious. And yeah, ditto on the fig butter comments, i’ve been putting it on waffles and dutch babies for breakfast.
I made these a couple of weeks ago–the fig butter is absolutely divine, especially right out of the food processor. The richness of the butter tempers the intensity of the figs and port in a lovely way.
I’m posting this now because we’ve finally polished off all the scones. Rather than baking them all right away (they’re too many for two people all at once), I decided to freeze them on a half sheet after cutting them into individual scones and then put them in a freezer bag after they firmed up. I’m happy to report that they bake up lovely, crisp and buttery straight from the freezer in about the same amount of time as they do from the fridge, as per the recipe.
just finally got around to making these last night. I was feeling a bit too lazy for the fig butter (it would have required a trip to the grocery store) so I used apple butter instead. worked beautifully in case anyone else is feeling a bit lazy 🙂
These look great! My husband and I are currently living in Chile and figs are cheap right now. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find buckwheat flour yet. Any tips on substituting with whole wheat?
Any suggestions on making the Fig butter without wine and port? Another reader tried grape juice and it came out too sweet. The recipe call for 1-1/2 cups, that is a lot of liquid to sub for !
These look absolutely amazing! I love the fact that they are made with whole wheat products!
been waiting to make these forever.
just pulled some out of the oven. theyre such a delicious change from scones made with AP.
love the fine buckwheat crumb and richness.
i played with the fig butter and used lighter dried figs, tawny port, and a few other aromatics instead of the star anise.
holy fig, that stuff is delicious.
HS: Right? That fig butter is in high rotation around here.
I made these this weekend. They were awesome! The texture is amazing. I thought they would be heavy and dense, but they were very light and nicely crisp on the bottom right after they came out of the oven.
And I loved the fig butter even before I added the butter to it! I may try it with just the poached fig puree next time. I’m definitely getting this book!
Mmmm… delicious! My dough was easy to work with, and the scones didn’t spread but look just like yours. I think using the food processor helps because it is so fast and the butter stays colder. Definitely a keeper!
Made the Fig Butter, and it is unbelievably delicious! We are eating it on toast, and with grilled sausages for dinner. Don’t need an excuse to find something it goes with.
Thank you.
This is a great one. I am not sure why it says best eaten same day or while still warm… we ate ours just as heartily the next day. My family really loved these scones.
If you are not a baker, as i am not, it’s important to note that while you can make the fig butter ahead (I did), it will not spread if cold. So I microwaved it a little, but you don’t want it too warm either. With patience, it did end up spreading well.
I really loved the textrure of the scone – the buckwheat flour is really great.
Heidi, thank you for sharing your wonderful finds – this book and this wonderful recipe. I love figs! I was so excited about this recipe that I went out and bought the port and wine so that I can make the fig butter. I made the fig butter a couple of days ago and love it on toast. I made the scones tonight – delicious and the aroma is intoxicating! I had very little apf but some ww pastry flour so I used the ww pastry flour. They turned out fine and very flaky. Thanks again.
Yowzas!!! This recipe blew my socks off and my boyfriend seriously thinks I have become a chef. I still give you all the credit, but I can’t thank you enough. Better yet, our bellies thank you!
Pam – my first batch did too and I think it was bc I cut them too thin. I made a wider cut out of the next batch and they looked much less like cookies!
Heidi – the fig butter does sound amazing. I will definitely try this. Thanks for the post. You mentioned not many people writing about whole grain baking. I’m sure you have King Arthur’s Whole Grain Baking on your shelf, right? I really like that cookbook and have turned to it many times not only for recipes but information.
I just made these today. They are delicious, but the dough was really difficult to work with. I wound up adding at least 1c more of all purpose flour before I could even begin to handle the dough.
I love anything with buckwheat in it. Fig and buckwheat sounds like a terrific combination. The book looks like a great addition to anyone’s collection who likes to bake. Thanks for the suggestion. Look forward to giving them a try.
The figgy buckwheat looks like chocolate.
I just made these, and they were delicious! However, mine also spread out like crazy and looked more like cookies than scones. What’s the secret to making them look gorgeous like yours?
HS: Hi Pam, maybe Kim has some insight, but I did my best to roll them tight, and they were nicely chilled when I put them in the oven as well.
Nice recipe
Looks Nice.
Thanks
Rummaging through the dry food pantry, I remembered I had some buckwheat flour from a fairly recent bread baking soiree that was about to be “unfresh”, saw this recipe and sent the nanny on a quick run for dry figs and I was set.
I just tasted a hot one out of the oven– delicious! Can’t wait for the kids and hubby to enjoy these for Sunday breakfast! I love a new ways to sneak in healthy food for the man of manor… (the girls at ladies luncheon won’t feel too bad about breaking their diets either!)
And a little special thank you Heidi for giving me an excuse to polish off a bottle of wine (and the bottle of port ;). That’s my kind of alone time! Thanks again, Heids!!
-Verona
I’m about to dive into these on this cold, wet, late winter day (I’m in Chicago and it’s nasty out!). I couldn’t find buckwheat in the nearby groceries so I’m going to have to sub whole wheat; hope it works! And the lentil soup is next. Thanks Heidi!
These were so delicious – thank you for this recipe! I made the fig butter during dinner last night, made the dough after the baby was in bed and rolled them up and put them in the fridge overnight and baked them this morning for breakfast. I am proud to say that prior to baking they looked exactly like the pictures – however afterwards they spread out quite a bit and didn’t look quite the same. But the taste was wonderful – crispy on the outside, tender on the insight and the fig butter was perfect. Will definitely make these over and over – and I am now on the hunt for more uses for buckwheat!
You’re a bad influence, and I love it 😉
I just bought Kim’s book, and I am officially obsessed. So gorgeous, and so many things for me to try out in the kitchen!!!!
Thank you for the inspiration. I am really enjoying experimenting with alternative flours, and Kim’s approach to desserts she cooks at home is just what I needed. Home-y, desserts that showcase seasonal fruits. Perfect.
This looks amazing!!! I love scones!! I love Figs!!! I love buckwheat!!! Now I just need someone who loves to bake because, alas, this is not my forte…..
I would almost go out and by measuring utensils just for this though……
Heidi,
I am so excited to try this new recipe! It looks/sounds delicious and is right up my alley of baking style. One question though. I am 4.5 months pregnant, and while I know alcohol is supposed to cook out, I am real anal about it and would rather not have any alcohol all together when making the fig butter. What would you suggest as appropriate substitutes? We did make some fantastic rich and tangy grape juice with our grapes this past year. Would that work for both the port and red wine?
I made a yummy gluten free version of these by substituting sorghum flour for the all purpose flour. I also added 1 tsp xanthan gum so they weren’t too crumbly.
They definitely tasted hearty/earthy, which I liked. Substituting a gluten-free flour blend would probably result in lighter (more “normal”) scones.
My gosh, these look awesome. Thanks for the recipe! So glad I found your blog.
yu-huuuuum. these look divine. your blog always inspires me to eat healthily – tasty food, full of veggies and delicious grains and pulses. ♥ what you do. thanks!!
I am also gluten-free, but I’m tempted to try to convert this so I can make them–they sound so delicious! Not sure what to substitute for the heavy cream, though, since I’m also dairy free. Anyone have any ideas?
These were so good but mine turned out very ugly. The Fig butter was wonderful!!!
After obsesssing over these and gathering all the missing ingredients, I finally made them today. The fig butter is amazing but sadly, I subbed buttermilk for the cream and judging from the very sticky soft texture, I should have probably gotten cream to do these! Your look truly gorgeous Heidi!
This is a wonderful recipe. I just chanced on this, and think this is LOA that attracted me to this.
I may just recommend this recipe for my my clients, especially since I love figs.
By the way, you can substitute low-fat buttermilk for the heavy cream and not miss the calories.
Best,
Dana
I sold scones to the airlines for years..but they were nothing like this! If British Airways or Virgin would start baking these, we weary travelers would be rushing to fly again.
I heard Luisa on NPR…thanks for the recipe and great rec.
Dana
WOW! Figs are the greatest, as is baking. This looks delicious and mindblowing. 🙂
Can you come be my personal chef?
Isn’t the roasty, toasty, earthy, cleansing essence of buckwheat the most wonderful re-discovery. I’ve been making buckwheat crepes for breakfast, buckwheat groats for dinner and wondering how difficult making soba noodles might be. Even buckwheat water is delicious.
HS: I have to tell you Pam, my last attempt at homemade soba noodles was a sad, sad affair. If you figure out the secret, you’ll have to teach me. Cutting the noodles thinly and uniformly was yikes. I wonder if buckwheat pancakes with cooked groats added would be good, or strange? Now you’ve got me thinking,…
Isn’t the roasty, toasty, earthy, cleansing essence of buckwheat the most wonderful re-discovery. I’ve been making buckwheat crepes for breakfast, buckwheat groats for dinner and wondering how difficult making soba noodles might be. Even buckwheat water is delicious.
HS: I have to tell you Pam, my last attempt at homemade soba noodles was a sad, sad affair. If you figure out the secret, you’ll have to teach me. Cutting the noodles thinly and uniformly was yikes. I wonder if buckwheat pancakes with cooked groats added would be good, or strange? Now you’ve got me thinking,…
there’s a fig tree growing on the property where i am renting. can’t wait to try this recipe this summer with fresh figs!
Thank you for this great recipe, Heidi.
I tried it yesterday, with two modifications.
I can’t use alcohol, so I used grape juice instead. The fig butter turned out very sweet but yet delicious. And since I didn’t have cream I used buttermilk instead. The dough was very soft, so shaping it was quite a mess. My scones are far from being pretty, but they were delicous. I’ll definetely make them again!
Wow! I just like it ;recipe but mostly the pictures.I must have the book and try to make such scones for my beloved ones.
This looks like such an interesting recipe. I’ve been looking for a “different” kind of pastry, a little bit more healthy with more fibers. What a great find!
Thanks for sharing!
Magda
h. jude blereau, annemarie colbin, and alford and duguid’s homebaking is where I usually turn to for baking ideas.
This is two recipes for the price of one. I am smitten with the fig butter and see it on Italian toast crostini. However, buckwheat flour is my new friend. I recently made a sweet potato lasagna with homemade buckwheat pasta. The pasta took several tries to get right. I am determined to bring alternative grains into my kitchen (and pasta) but it’s trial and error and patience.
Glad I read this post before going to bed. I’ll be dreaming of fig butter tonight 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Heidi!
These look and sound incredible. I love anything with figs and the fact they are made with buckwheat-heaven…love following your blog by the way..thanks so much for sharing
Sandy
I love figs in these scones. They look amazing.
Nisrine
Very exciting! I can’t wait to try these and because I have been working on a post about my grandfather’s buckwheat pancakes, I actually have some buckwheat flour. AND some figs because I meant to make some muffins with them and never did! How odd is that?
What a fabulous idea and they sound divine. The book sounds inspirational. I do bake with buckwheat occasionally but there are so many more grains I should use too. Love how the figgy butter is rolled into the dough
I just made these. They’re fabulous. I didn’t have any port or wine around (which would give the fig paste that gorgeous red colour) so I used plain ol’ water. It does make me want to break out the buckwheat more often, so thanks!
Who could resist? The butter alone would be deadly. Thanks for the post.
I just made these with leftover poppy seed hamantaschen filling. Just fabulous. I ate one wam standing in front of the oven they were so enticing.
These look awesome! I’m a huge fan of buckwheat, and try to slip it into anything I can :o)
I love your blog (and cookbooks) Heidi, and can’t wait for the new book to be published.
On the topic of wholegrain cookbooks, I thought I would mention a book called ‘The Pleasure of Whole-Grain Breads’ by Beth Hensperger. I think it might be out of print (boo!), but there are many used copies out there to be found. It is similarly divided into chapters by grain and has lots of information and inventive recipes (I love the quinoa tortillas, the buckwheat wild rice pancakes, the masa biscuits…) and so far none have disappointed.
(I don’t profit from sales of the book, just recently discovered it and love it so, so I thought I would pass along the love :o)
Not sure I would call these scones..they are a bit of a leap from my idea of a scone, split in half and spread with butter. these seem to be more of a roll.
I wonder why the need for all the heavy cream..very high in calories, i prefer buttermilk, much lighter. like the idea of the figgy butter though.
What a beautiful alternative to a regular scone. Buckwheat flour is an interesting ingredient. I have not liked the flavor in the past but I bet the figs sweeten it up a lot. Looks really delicious.
I’ve been on a real scone baking binge lately … and this recipe looks great! I’ll give it a try!
I love the look of these and the figgy jam sounds fantastic. I will have a go at making these gluten free- by using a combination of all purpose gluten free flour and maybe some ground almonds. I may also have to add a bit of xanthan gum to get a better texture. I read about this book somewhere else recently and I am hoping there will be a few gluten free recipes in there as many of the flours mentioned are low in gluten or gluten free. Please can you let me know- although I will probably buy the book anyway for inspiration – are any recipes suitable for gluten free folk? Thanks.
Thanks for turning me on to a wonderful cookbook! I love baking with unusual flour, but it hasn’t been easy as I found out, the hard way, that you can’t just substitute rye for white. I am going to bake up a storm this weekend! I look forward to your updates. Always a wonderful surprise or validation. Cheers!
Greetings from Switzerland. I just baked these wonderful scones! Yummy! Thank you for the recipe.
Lovely post, Heidi. I’ve made buckwheat biscuits in the past and love the nutty flavor. The fig jam looks like it will be a great addition to roasted meats as well (uh-oh, I just outed myself) 🙂
THANK YOU for turning me onto this great new cookbook! Constantly looking for ways to make delicious treats with a healthier twist. Heidi, you da bomb and props to Kim too!
Love!
I just love the way the fig scones look, they are brilliant. I also love the concept of baking with more flours than just all-purpose. There are so many available to us these days, comparing it to painting with one color is exactly what it feels like. 🙂
Jenn
They look delicious.
Mmmmmmm! This looks and sounds fantastic. Easy to veganize. The cookbook sounds fantastic. I love teff flour!!!
This reminds me, a bit, of Alice Medrich and Pure Desserts, in their shared love of all that whole grains have to offer — taste, and texture, and flavor-wise, all nutrition aside. I hadn’t heard of this title, but will definitely have a look.
Figs are one of my favorite foods, I’ve got to try these, AND buy Kim’s incredible book!
Thanks for sharing Heidi!
These really do look wonderful– I’ve been on the lookout for some new ways to use buckwheat flour. Will try it now!
Elaine
The recipe looks delicious, but I am surprised no mention has been made of the King Arthur Flour book of whole grain baking, which is very comprehensive. They also carry buckwheat flour for those who don’t have a convenient local source for it. I happen to live just down the road, but I know from others that their mail order service is excellent. They even have baking classes, both amateur and professional. And no, I don’t work for them nor am I paid by them.
wow! looks like a great book! can’t wait to pick it up.
This doesn’t seem time consuming to me at all….then again I like to make pasta sauces that take 6 hours to cook!
I’ve been trying to incorporate more whole grains into my baking, but i’m seriously attached to my ap and cake flours.
I love the figgy jam and will totally be making it to slather on other baked goodies!
ok, everyone seems to love the idea of this recipe but i’m sorry to say that they DO NOT look yummy at all. i always bake with whole-grain flours and I’m always keen on trying new recipes but this one was a definite pass.
HS: Hi Annie, maybe you could post a few links to some of your favorites? Even if this particular recipe isn’t your thing, maybe you could share something you do enjoy. -h
looks wonderful but why are the scones in the photo dark coloured when there doesn’t seem to be anything in the recipe list to make them so?
HS: Hi Annie, the buckwheat flour lends the dark color.
This looks lovely. I’ve never baked with buckwheat flour, but I do like various whole-grain flours. Thanks to you, spelt is now among my favorites.
Have you ever watched “Stranger Than Fiction”? One of the characters did one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen in a movie for another character. The second character was a baker, and the first character went out and got her flours. Not flowers, but flours, a whole box of little bags of about ten different kinds of flours. I think I’d just have to fall directly in love with someone who did that for me.
Holy cow this recipe sounds fab. I love figs and have been wanting to experiment with scones for a long time now. I remember reading, and being surprised, by the amount of butter in scones but after a trip to England and an absolute face stuffing / waste enlarging near daily tea time I fell in love with them. I hadn’t thought to use flavored butter. That is an interesting method to get some flavor in. Thanks Heidi and Kim for the inspiration.
Cheers!
Oh. My. These are just the beautiful, whole, labour-loving food delight I needed today. I actually have leftover figs still soaking in a port wine syrup (they’ve been there since January!). I’ve been checking them from time to time to see if they’re still good…and they just get better every week. This is the perfect use for them (as I’ve been honestly overwhelmed at trying to decide just how to use them). Thanks for introducing me to such a needed and inspiring book! And these scones to go with it!
These are beautiful, and sound so delicious! I definitely need this book!
Wow, the fig butter sounds like it would be great all by itself, on some good bread. I think I’ll make the fig butter and then work up to the scones. Thanks for bringing this recipe to us. The book sounds wonderful.
Wow, these sound intriguing. Especially yummy with the fig butter. I am definitely going to seek out this book – I love baking with alternative flours – I currently have like, 14 different flours, in my pantry!
Heidi, do you think there’s a way to make these slightly lower in fat? Could buttermilk or nonfat yogurt be subbed in for the cream, or could the butter be eased back a bit?
oh.my.god. i have never been so entranced by a scone recipe before. the fig butter alone sounds worthy of eating alone with a spoon. cannot WAIT to try this.
I’m going to try a dairy free version! Thanks!
This is – quite literally – a beautiful recipe.
Thank you for posting.
Heidi – I often turn to your blog for inspiration as a new vegetarian. I love to cook and realized that I have been enjoying cooking even more now that I am meat-free. Would it be possible to substitute the heavy cream with cashew cream or some other dairy-free option?
Can you recommend a substitute for those who can’t use alcohol in baking?
The fig butter looks amazing. I think I have just the right amount of dried figs left over from our fall harvest to make the recipe.
The family is not too crazy about buckwheat flour. Do you think the recipe with be as successful with a mix of W.W. pastry and White W.W.?
hot diggity! this is just the book I’ve been looking for esp since i’ve found a local mill (near Lexington, KY) that offers a selection of whole grains. thanks for letting us know of Good to the Grains’ existence.
O my goodness; I have to make these tonight…I am blown away, Heidi….these look fabulous! Thanks and have a great day.
What a fantastic looking book and recipe! I adore baking with different flours – especially teff. Thanks for introducing this book to us 🙂
These look wonderful– I’ve been looking for new ways to use buckwheat flour. I use it in pancakes and waffles, but hesitated to try it in other recipes because it has quite a distinctive taste. Will try it now!
I couldn’t agree more! Kim Boyce rocks my socks. I actually just posted about a different recipe of hers, her amazing buckwheat poppyseed wafers. (http://thincrustdeepdish.blogspot.com/2010/02/poppy-seed-wafers-and-my-startling-lack.html) I can’t wait to try out these scones. Mmmmmm.
Thanks Heidi!
Wow, so inventive and delicious-looking. I’ve been on a buckwheat kick for a while now, making something with the flour each week it seems. These will surely make their way into the rotation. Perhaps a brunch is the proper excuse!
Wow, so inventive and delicious-looking. I’ve been on a buckwheat kick for a while now, making something with the flour each week it seems. These will surely make their way into the rotation. Perhaps a brunch is the proper excuse!
How delicious! I can’t eat gluten so the wheat flour is out, but I may (timidly) try turning this recipe gluten-free since it already uses buckwheat flour. I’m a dried fig fanatic. The photos alone are making my mouth water like crazy!
Thanks Heidi, thanks Kim!
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I experiment with alternative flours often, and baking with whole grain flours is certainly something I want to learn more about. You always have the best cookbook recommendations. This is an awesome find. Thank You!
I can’t wait to make these they look amazing! I love the pictures too…
Wow! These look delicious! Thank you for sharing!
I’m a baking and pastry student and have only been in school for a year now but am already a little tired of AP flour and all of its variations. I’m so excited about trying more non-wheat-based flours and am definitely going to hunt down this book. And these scones sound amazing! Thanks for the inspiration.
Wow, these look so good. I love the idea of cooking with more whole-grain flowers, and this post/cookbook really make me want to start. Thank you!
I adore figs! This alone convinces me this recipe is worth making. Thanks.
Thanks for writing about this book! I love the idea of modern, sophisticted recipes built around whole grains. I get frustrated sometimes, just trying to do a substitution with regular recipes, and ending up with baked goods that are too heavy, or otherwise not quite right.
The pictures spoke to me, and then you had to liken using different flours to using different colors of paint and I was smitten immediately with this recipe. I’m going to do a little experimenting: Because the buckwheat is already dark in color and “hearty”, I may get away with substituting date sugar for regular sugar in the dry ingredients. Then, for the fig butter, I’ll try honey.
Lastly, this book is now on my list of books to check out next time I’m at the book store. Whole grain flour recipes? Yeah!!
Hi Heidi! You’re the second person in less than three days I’ve heard talk about this book,and it’s definitely on my amazon.com wishlist 🙂 the scones look great, and i have some fig jam in the pantry that i made in the start of fig season. can’t wait to try!
also, wanted to let you know i made a version of ribollita since i was inspired by your post a few weeks ago. here’s the link to it! thanks for all the natural, healthy inspiration 🙂
That is one gorgeous scone!
Wow, these are stunning. I am definitely going to have to consider incorporating whole grain flours into my menu items. These scones have such a lovely, homey look to them
You are so very kind Heidi! Thank you for rallying around this cookbook and reaching so many people with your post. It’s nice to have a friend in the whole grain world as it can sure get lonely in the kitchen with those darn flours.
Wow, you (and Kim) are so inspiring..it’s nice to see that I can have cooking role models with knowledge of health without sacrificing creativity or taste.
On another note, I am a food writer for the paper at my college in Portland and would be honored to cover your new book when it comes out. I’ve wanted to email you, but can’t find it anywhere on the site, so here is mine:
[email protected]
Looking forward to enlightening my peers on your awesomeness!
Where to start–I really like everything about this. The fig butter and whole grain scone sounds absolutely delicious. And, I can’t wait to get a look at the book.
Is there anything you could use to substitute for the wine?
Thanks for posting this–the recipe looks delicious, and the book seems really interesting. I love baking with whole wheat flour, and this book would probably introduce me to a whole other spectrum of whole grains. Thanks again!
Thanks for opening my eyes to this amazing books. I will definitely have to get it!
Mmmmm another great idea to use buckwheat flour. Many thanks for this – I adore figs and that darker, earthier taste of buckwheat. Looking forward to trying this out. Oh, and the book’s gone straight to my Amazon wishlist…
Yum! I am LOVING this book—it is really unlike any other I’ve seen. I baked the spelt-carrot muffins this week. Perhaps I’ll make these scones next.
Having recently posted a buckwheat cake on my blog and discovering the product for the first time, I am thrilled to see this recipe and find out about the book. Can’t wait to see what else I can cook up with it. The fig scones will be next.
WOW! What a great idea! Oh I love this!
I didn’t even make it through the whole post before I went and added this book to my Amazon shopping cart. Whole grain baking is always something that makes me nervous – I’m only adventurous enough to sub WW flour for AP (and only sometimes!) Plus since the first time I had a fresh fig last summer I have come to love them (fresh and dried).
Anyway, I have a whole mess of flours in my freezer that I just don’t know how to use. Can’t wait to get this book!
Thank you so much for recommending this cookbook! I hadn’t heard of it yet and will check it out right away. I bake most of the time with wholegrains, and am always looking for good recipes.
Dan Lepard is a wonderful baker who also uses whole grain flours a lot
There are some great recipes by him on http://www.guardian.co.uk
That cookbook sounds really neat. I am always looking for ways to make baking more healthy.
These look amazing!
I bet my husband would love these. Kind of like grown of fig newtons 😀
This is just what I’ve been looking for, I’m not confident enough to just substitute wholegrains. The book is ordered and on it’s way.
The fig butter sounds absolutely amazing. The scones are beautiful, too, but I’m especially impressed by the butter, the idea and the technique.
@Kate – I find buying from specialty organic or health shops here (Melbourne) can be quite expensive. My local IGA supermarket has an ever expanding range of organic foods and alternate grain flours etc for reasonable prices. For example – Spelt flour at my local organic grocer was about $16 but organic spelt flour from the IGA was under $10 for 2kg. So I shop around now and it is much easier to work into my household budget. I think mainstream supermarkets are aware consumers want more so the smarter ones are making an effort.
I can’t wait to make this for my family.
My ten-month-old eats EVERYTHING, and when people ask me how I get her to eat her veggies and try new things, I often point them to your blog for ideas. I’m convinced that it’s stuff like this that keeps her tastebuds open to new things.
Well, that, and seeing mommy and daddy pigging out on it probably helps, too.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this book – it is not yet available in Australian bookshops…..i really want to experiment more with alternative flours in baking, but here they are still very expensive – today for example I saw a 2kg bag of spelt flour and it was $16AUD…how does this compare to what you pay in the US for similar products?
Hi! I have been following 101 for the last two years and you never let me down. Hoping to try these out this weekend!
Thanks for the ‘related links’ link, Heidi.
For me, the measure of a good cookbook is how many colored sticky tabs I use when marking which recipes I want to try. This book, when I was done flipping through it, was a hot, colorful mess of sticky tabs.
HS: Mine is the same way!
I feel like my mind has been opened from that quote. How completely true! Baking with AP flour is like painting with one color!
The fig butter recipe is luxurious and worth making even if it doesn’t go into the scone.
goodness, these look fantastic – i love figs and i love buckwheat. need i say more? and the book looks gorgeous, too… oh no, i was going to hold off on cookbooks for the next few months, but not sure if i could be so resolute…
I agree with you about lack of books focused on whole grain. I’ll have to check this out sometime. First, I will try this recipe. 🙂
So many flours to dabble in, so little time! I’m inspired to try more, namely buckwheat, so thank you. I love the simplicity of the actual scone recipe, my toddler is a huge fig fan, and I’m excited to check these out. For both of us. 🙂
Alright, another book to add to my collection. Love your quote, I couldn’t agree with you more! Most likely I’ll be making these scones this weekend!
That’s so funny, I’ve been day-dreaming about figs today! They’re just coming into season here and I saw the first picking at my local store today. I am making a fig tart but I think i’ll make these too! Do you think it will work the same with fresh figs? Joe
HS: Hi Joe – I’d def. try to seek out the dried figs.
What red wine do you suggest for the fig butter?
HS: I think I used a bottle of some sort of southern Rhone (can’t remember exactly), nothing too cheap/expensive, something I didn’t mind drinking the remainder of…
Looking at the ingredient list for the fig butter, I’m certain it would never even make it to the scones. Straight into my mouth would be the more likely destination. What a find this book is!
These look marvelous, though I was a bit disappointed to see 1 1/4 cup of all-purpose has crept in…. oh, why must it be so very versatile?
HS: I know it. The thing I’ve come to realize is, in some cases, a certain percentage of APF really works wonders. But I try to treat it as an accent flour now (or maybe technical flour is a better term), not a foundation flour. I suspect if you made these with ww pastry flour in place of the APF, they wouldn’t be quite right. And 100% buckwheat flour? No way.
These look delicious and healthy…yum!
Wow, these look fantastic! I must have this book!
I just want to concur that this book is amazing. I made the banana cereal muffins last night, and they were perfect.
These look so good! I love trying out new flours and I haven’t tried buckwheat yet. This recipe is calling to me, I love figs!!
This is awesome! I’ve been experimenting with a few sweet recipes using whole grains instead of flours. It will be so much fun to use some sophisticated, tested recipes that, from the looks of your scones, have impressive results! Thanks for sharing… I will seek out Ms. Boyce’s book.
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