July 4, 2016
Monthly Mystery Munchies #15: Figs, Rosemary and Lime-Drizzled Scones with Lime Curd
This month’s challenge which has been postponed from last Friday to today has been inspired by none other than Gen, Author of Eat, Play Clove herself. She mentioned figs for our Monthly Mystery Munchies #13 but had a change of tactic using a different fruit as part of the main meal with her Steak with Caramelised Cranberry and Pomegranate Sauce instead.
With figs as my single motivation and inspiration, I thought hey! that would go pretty well with rosemary, wouldn’t it? Then I thought: how about we add another must-use ingredient…something citrusy like lime instead of lemon to it?
That was how this month’s monthly mystery munchies was born. The challenge: Use 3 ingredients comprising of figs (or a substitute of), rosemary and lime. Sounds good?
Those ingredients would work great with meat but I thought that would be too easy. Plus that would mean another main meal dish which we have been doing in the last few months. So, here comes the twist – they are not to be used with meat or main dishes for meals.
Aha!
Gen enthusiastically accepted it when I put my thoughts out to her. Whaaaa…aat! Really?
Then I realised I probably have gone a little wacko there for I haven’t got a clue as to what I could do with them as ingredients that are not used for main meals. Or meat! It doesn’t even make sense.
I think I have shot myself in the foot and I struggled with the challenge. For a while, apart from snacking on figs which I love to do, I haven’t the slightest idea what I could create. I mean, figs are one of the healthiest fruits around. They have a wealth of nutritional benefits and they come packed with minerals. Also, a very useful food if you are a weight-watcher. (Source: BBC Good Food). Plus, that crunchiness as you bite them..oooh la la! What’s not to like?
The thought of figs continues to enthuse me. I settled on dried as I couldn’t get my hands on the fresh ones and ate some along the way as I cut them into pieces to make Figs, Rosemary and Lime-Drizzled Scones with Lime Curd.
Scones, people! Scones! And curd!
What a mad challenge to use the 3 ingredients with no meat or as a main meal! It took me a while to get to scones and curd, mind you, but! Bingo. I had something.
These scones came out light, crumbly and not at all too dry. I made sure that the figs and rosemary were lightly drizzled with some lime before mixing them into the batter. I guess I didn’t want to just add into the batter for fear of it being too over-powering.
That was another craziness of my first scones and curd blinded by the superficial confidence I must say! Have you tried eating scones with curd? Pretty damn good!
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 50g granulated sugar
- 1 tspn baking powder
- Half tspn salt
- 1 stick cold, unsalted butter (cut into small cubes and to be used cold, cold, cold)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
- 8-10 dried figs, cut small or chopped
- A quarter lime - juiced and zested
- 1 egg
- 200g sour cream (or 1 small pack)
- 200g whipping cream
- 3 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 100g granulated sugar
- 2-3 limes - squeeze juice to make at least half to 3/4 of a cup and zested
- 3-4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Some fresh rosemary (optional)
- Pre heat oven to 180 degree celcius
- Squeeze lime juice and mix in the zest with the rosemary. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients (except figs, rosemary and lime) well
- Add in the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients along with the figs and rosemary. Mix well by only rubbing the butter in. The texture should be coarse
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg, sour cream and whipped cream together till smooth
- Then with a fork, stir the cream mixture into the bowl of coarse mixture until you get a large clump of dough
- Do not over mix, but a little sticky is a good thing
- Lightly flour a large surface on a wax paper on a baking tray.
- Pat the dough flat in a circular shape. Using a knife to cut them into triangles and keep them slightly apart
- Put them into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
- Serve warm
- In saucepan, whisk eggs, sugar, salt, lime juice and zest together until smooth
- Turn on the fire and cook on low heat. Stir constantly
- About 2 minutes in, add in rosemary (optional) and stir till the mixture thicken
- Add in the butter and continue to stir on low heat
- Turn off the heat after 10-15 minutes until the curd is thick enough
- Remove from heat then pour into jars to cool off
- Keep the curd in the fridge thereafter and enjoy with scones/bread and/or crackers
- It is recommended that very cold butter is used for scones as it helps with the texture and never to over mix the dough.
- For the curd, I cannot believe how easy it is to make!
Every step of the way has been enjoyable! Nothing and I mean NOTHING is more satisfying than being able to fill our home with the aroma of freshly baked scones at 11 p.m…all ready for breakfast the next day and then seeing my family devouring every single crumb of the scones on their plates going “So yummy, Mama!”. It’s a great feeling!
This has been immensely pleasurable and I bet you that Gen would double the pleasure with her creation for this month. Let’s pop over to check what’s cooking at Gen’s #15 Monthly Mystery Munchies using Figs, Rosemary and Lime that’s made with this crazy, little twist.
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Monthly Mystery Munchies features every first Friday of the month in collaboration with Gen, Author of Eat, Play, Clove. and I’m waiting in anticipation on what Gen would unleash for next month’s challenge. Stay tuned!
Scones are curd are one of my favorite indulgences. Must say your curd is gorgeous and so are the scones and the addition of rosemary is brilliant.
Thank you, Suzanne! I can’t believe how easy it is to make curd! I’m addicted to it. 😀
Look at us both doing curd! Ann, this month was the most challenging yet, and it was hands-down my favourite! I had SO much fun baking, and really using my noggin trying to pair these three ingredients. Thank you for letting me use grapefruit instead of lime, and thanks for giving me a few extra days!
I love scones, and I firmly believe there is nothing better than hot, homemade scones. With lime curd no less – yummy! I’m so inspired by your recipe and quite amazed that you managed to do the MMM in the midst of your emigration, without all your kitchen equipment. Well done Ann, you made a beautiful dish, and, as always, pushed me to be more creative than ever before. I really love our MMM, it should be on Oprah’s Favourite Things! Xoxo
Hahhaha! OPrah’s favourite things! Or maybe Oprah’s scary thing. :p
It’s awesome that we caught the same wave and our first ever to make something similar. Of all the things in the world, curds! LOL. I had fun too! In fact, I;m having fun every month creating something fun and creative. This was crazy but we both did it. I’m looking forward to your challenge next, Gen! Give us a good one. 😀
xoxo
That looks lekker! Great job Ann.. I just saved the recipe and would love to try this one.Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Inderdaad. Dat is lekker! 😀 Thank you for saving the recipe. I hope you get to try it and share your thoughts on it. The curd is really easy, too.