I have been experimenting with Gluten Free baking lately, with varying degrees of success. I had been looking for a GF scone recipe and just couldn't find one that was straightforward. I found this easy recipe on Food Network for Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze and I modified it only slightly, to use GF Flour, and they turned out great. I made these at 11:30 PM last night. The quarantine has done strange things to me, and my sense of schedule and time, as I'm sure to most.
I'm not a big fan of either coconut flour or almond flour; to me, they add unwelcome flavors which can be overpowering. I find that the measure for measure GF blend flour (like King Arthur brand) seems to be the closest to regular wheat flour, without adding other tastes to the bakery. I added 1/2 t of xanthum gum to this recipe as well (the recommendation is 1/4 t for every cup of flour) which resulted in a scone that was delicious and did not compromise on texture by being Gluten Free. I also did not have heavy cream so I substituted 1/2 C half and half and 1/2 C full fat plain Greek yogurt, which worked perfectly. Can't wait to try this recipe with some white chocolate and raspberries.
Scones:
1/2 teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, xanthum gum, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough.
- Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.
- You can make the lemon glaze in a double boiler, or for a simpler alternative, you can just use the microwave. Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners' until dissolved in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water for the double-boiler method, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest. Either microwave the glaze for 30 seconds or continue whisking in the double boiler. Whisk the glaze to smooth out any lumps, then drizzle the glaze over the top of the scones. Let it set a minute before serving.
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| Scones, Pre-glazed |
1) Substitute the blueberries for 1/4 c sliced almonds, 1 t lemon juice and 2T poppy seeds
2) Substitute the blueberries for 1/2 c white chocolate morsels and 1/2 c raspberries