Late summer is such an inspiring time in the kitchen — the markets full of peak tomatoes, zucchini, and ripe stone fruit. Fig leaves are one of my favorite ingredients this time of year. My friend has the most beautifully lush fig tree that I’ve been harvesting from all season, toasting the leaves in the oven and grinding them into a fine powder to add to cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats. Of all my figgy bakes this summer, these sourdough scones are my favorite. They’re tender and rustic, with golden craggy edges. Green and herbaceous, with a soft coconut flavor. I love them warm from the oven with a drizzle of strawberry glaze or a spoonful of jam.
Ingredients
Butter. Unsalted and cold — I like to freeze mine ahead. Cold butter makes for flaky scones.
Heavy cream. Adds moisture and richness for a tender, flaky crumb.
Sourdough discard. Cold from the fridge, no older than two weeks.
Egg yolk. Adds richness and helps bind the dough.
All-purpose flour. Hayden All-Purpose Sonora is my go-to.
Fig leaf powder. Toasted fig leaves ground into a fine powder. Lends a green, herbaceous flavor with soft coconut notes.
How to Make Fig Leaf Powder
Collect as many fig leaves as you can — I like to make a large batch. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment. Wash and dry the fig leaves, then spread them in a single layer on the sheets. A little overlap is fine, though they’ll dry more evenly if not piled. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until crisp and fragrant. Remove the stems, then grind the leaves in a spice grinder until fine. Sift and store in an airtight container.
To make fig leaf sugar, combine 1 tablespoon fig leaf powder with ½ cup (100 g) sugar.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Scones
Keep ingredients cold — the discard, egg yolk, and cream. Use fresh discard, no older than two weeks (older discard has a more pronounced sour flavor). Freeze the scones before baking to prevent spreading. Best enjoyed shortly after baking.
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Sourdough Fig Leaf Scones
Ingredients
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup (125g) heavy cream , plus more for brushing
1 cup (220g) sourdough discard, cold from the fridge
1 egg yolk, cold from the fridge
2 cups + 2 tbsp (260g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) of granulated sugar
1 tbsp fig leaf powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Strawberry glaze
1.5 cup strawberries
1/4 cup water
2 cups (240ml) powdered sugar
seeds from a scraped out vanilla bean pod, optional
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the butter. Transfer to a bowl and place in the freezer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, discard and egg yolk.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, fig leaf powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, toss the grated butter to coat. Then stir in the sourdough mixture until just combined. Knead the dough a few times to bring it together.
- Dump the dough onto a clean work surface and use your hands to press and shape the dough into an 8″disc shape. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on the sheet pan and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. To long-ferment: Store the covered scones in the fridge overnight up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Brush the tops of the scones with cream (if you are not making the glaze sprinkle with a little sugar). Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden and cooked though. Let cool for a few minutes, best eaten shortly after baking.
Make the glaze
- In a small pot, combine the strawberries and water. Simmer until reduced and thicken and reduced to 1/4 cup. Strain the liquid. Allow to cool.
- Sift the sugar into a large bowl, add the vanilla bean if using. Add 3 tablespoons of the strawberry juice and whisk to combine. If the glaze is too thick add juice, milk or water, a tsp at a time until desired consistency.
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