Macheesmo

Alright look. I know that scones are supposed to be fancy. You are supposed to eat scones while drinking tea with your pinky raised.

That’s why almost every scone recipe in the world ends with, “Sprinkle your scones lightly with coarse sugar.” I’ve written scone recipes that include that because scones are supposed to be elegant.

But, for once, instead of a light topping of sugar on scones, I thought it would be fun to create a literal crust of crunchy sugar. Think coffee cake. Think caramel. Think streusel.

The streusel layer turns the scone into an entirely different thing. There’s still that flakiness that people love, but on top is a sugar cinnamon layer that you have to crunch through!

Figgy Streusel Scones

by Nick

Serves:

8 Scones

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

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Homemade Streusel Scones topped with a thick later of sweet cinnamon sugar streusel and packed with delicious fresh figs.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold

6-8 fresh figs, chopped

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Streusel Mix:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then cube the cold butter and work it into the dry stuff until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. You can use your clean fingers or a pastry cutter.

3) Chop off stems from figs and then roughly chop them. Stir them into the dry ingredients.

4) In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Then stir this into the dry stuff. Just mix it until the dough is pulled together, but try not to overwork it.

5) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop the dough out onto the parchment paper. Form a rough circle out of the dough about 3/4 inch thick and 10 inches in diameter.

6) In a small bowl, stir together streusel ingredients and then drizzle in melted butter. Stir it together and then pack the streusel onto the scone round.

7) Chop the scones into 8 even triangles. Then bake it for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.

8) Let the scones cool for a bit before eating them. I actually think these are best at room temperature when they are really flaky.

Streusel Scones

Figs and Butter

As far as I know you cannot make scones with butter.

Ok. You can probably find a recipe somewhere on the internet for scones without butter, but I do NOT condone that method. Scones need butter.

I also like to fold in some fruit. The exact fruit isn’t totally important (unlike the butter). Blueberries are cool, but this time of year I went with figs. They are ripe and perfect right now!

Making the Dough

Scone dough is pretty much like pie crust but it’s richer. Once you get the dry stuff mixed together, cube up the cold butter and work it into the dry ingredients using your fingers or a pastry cutter. I just use my fingers to mix it in until it’s in pea-sized pieces.

Then stir in the fresh chopped figs. Remember to chop the hard stems off the figs before you add them.

Then you just need to add the wet ingredients. Whisk the wet stuff together separately and then stir it into the dry ingredients. Stir it together until the dough forms a big ball but try not to over-work the dough.

Scoop this whole thing out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roughly shape it into a round about 8 inches in diameter. Again, don’t fuss with the dough too much. Just slap it onto the sheet and roughly shape it.

The Streusel mix for your Streusel Scones

Ok. Instead of some light sprinkling of sugar, mix together this madness.

You’ll have to pretty much pack it on top of the scones.

It’ll all fit. Don’t worry.

Baking the Scones

One tip. Be sure to cut the Streusel Scones into 8 pieces before you bake them. It just makes them easier to serve later.

These guys will need to bake for 25-28 minutes at 400 degrees F.

The scones are done when the streusel is slightly caramelized and the scones are browned around the edges.

I think it’s important to let these cool completely before serving them. When they cool to room temperature the streusel hardens a bit and the scones get really flaky and wonderful.

Interestingly, I thought these were even good two days later which isn’t normally the case with scones. These really held up though.

They may not be elegant or fancy, but man are they good.

Pack on the streusel, people. Pack it on.