Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Caramelized Onion & Fig Irish Scones. Part soda bread + part scone with added bonus of being gluten-free. A savory-sweet simple baked good that covers all parts of the day from tea time to cocktails, a versatile little jewel from the kitchen.
IRISH SCONES
These Irish scones are really a mash up of classic scones and Irish soda bread (for which I happen to have a true family recipe on the blog) The dough is classic soda bread with some additions that create savory-sweet scones. They also happen to be gluten-free and sugar free. As with most scones, they are best devoured warm from the oven alas they dry out quite quickly. One way to continue enjoying the scones is too seal them up when out of the oven, then gently re-warm in the oven.Adding a cup of tea and some jam will make things right.
Craggy and rough in appearance, the scones are an example of simple humble baking that any home cook can master. First, the figs need to be soaked briefly and the onion sautéed ahead of time. The dry ingredients are mixed together in a large bowl, then the drained figs and onions are mixed into the flour mixture to coat the figs/onions which keeps them separated them in the dough. The remainder of the wet ingredients are mixed, then added to the dry ingredients. Do not be alarmed by the lumpy texture of the dough, these are meant to be a ‘rustic’ style of scone. No kneading, just dump the dough out of the bowl onto the prepared baking sheet and with flour dusted hands shape into a 8 inch x 2 inch thick disk. Cut a crisscross pattern on the top and bake. Bake per recipe, until a tester comes out clean. Do not over bake.
SWEET & SAVORY SCONES
The thing I love about this recipe is that the scones can serve both a sweet or savory menu. I enjoy serving the scones as a sweet with some fig jam to double the fig profile along with a bold tea such as a Chinese Oolong. On the savory side, I like the scones with a soft creamy plain goat cheese. Now if the onion in the recipe concerns you, cut the amount in half or leave it out completely, but it is delicious. Enjoy these scones and Happy St. Patrick’s Day all.
As always, enjoy. B
