Blue Cheese & Fig Spelt Scones

Crystal Grobe created her blog, Cafe Cyan, four years ago in an effort to share her adventures in food and inspire others to start cooking.  She loves discovering new ingredients and trying fun recipes.

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When I received a bag of spelt flakes from the always-generous Marx Foods, my mind started racing with recipe ideas.  I started with the obvious choices:  hot breakfast cereal, cookies, muffins and the like.  However, a brilliant idea did not enter my head until later that night in the middle of a primetime show.  It was a typical “a-ha” moment where I leapt from the couch, grabbed a pen and piece of paper and started sketching out my idea: blue cheese and fig scones.

I have to admit; I have tried scones once, but never made them myself.  I thought scones needed a special triangle pan or triangle shaped cookie cutter (not the case).  I was not entirely confident my idea would turn out as baking can lead to disaster at times.

So I went about collecting ingredients for the scones.  I bought some delicious local blue cheese,  soft and gummy dried Mission Figs from Trader Joes, a couple sticks of unsalted butter and a little half-and-half before getting to work.

Using a Cook’s Illustrated technique as my guide, the spelt flakes were toasted.  This made the flakes firm and crunchy as opposed to soft and chewy.  The blue cheese was crumbled into small pieces and the figs were quartered, all waiting for their place in these delicious scones.

Let me tell you, the scones were AMAZING!  Slightly crumbly with pockets of butter and cheese throughout, they made for a great snack any time of day.  Plus, spelt is supposed to be great at sustaining your energy during the day, so eat up!

I was so excited about these that I had to make them while on vacation in Arizona too.

The scones are already in my lineup for an upcoming bridal shower and I just might have to make another batch to satisfy my obsession.

Blue Cheese & Fig Spelt Scones
(makes eight)

1 ½ cups rolled spelt flakes
½ cup half-and-half
1 large egg
1 ½ cups flour (I use unbleached all-purpose)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
10 tbsp cold unsalted butter
15 dried black mission figs, quartered
1/3 cup creamy blue cheese, crumbled (from the cheese counter, not the deli case)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  On a large cookie sheet, spread rolled spelt flakes in a single layer.  Toast in the oven for 9 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.  Reserve ¼ cup of spelt flakes for later use.

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined.  Place pats of butter over the dry mixture in processor and pulse several times until mixture resembles moist breadcrumbs.  Alternatively, combine using a pastry cutter or by working your fingers through the dough.  Scrape mixture into a large bowl and stir in rolled spelt flakes using a large wooden spoon.

In a small bowl, whisk together half-and-half and egg.  Reserve 1 tablespoon for glazing.  Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and combine with your hands.  Once almost completely combined, fold in blue cheese and figs, making sure they are incorporated throughout.

Scatter work surface with half of the reserved spelt flakes and place dough mixture on top.  Pat into a circle about 1-inch thick.  Scatter remaining spelt flakes over top.  Using a dough scraper, cut dough into 8 wedges and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Brush with reserved egg mixture and dust with sugar (about 1-2 teaspoons total).

Bake scones until golden, about 14 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool further.  Enjoy while still slightly warm or at room temperature.

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