I make - Fruit Scones

This is my scone recipe going forward after my coeliac disease under control (knock-on wood) and eliminating oats (sadly) from my life. As I tend to have scones for breakfast, the default flavoring is orange zest. Citrus fruit always brightens up my day.

Gluten-Free Fruit Scones

- 310 g gluten-free self-raising flour*
- 50 ground almond
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- zest from 1 orange
- 1 tsp baking powder (if using plain flour 1.5 tbsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp baking soda)
- 90 g cold butter, cubed (25% of flour/almond)
- 100g dried fruits
- 1 cup of crème fraiche or cream** thinned with milk/yogurt (it should pour like double cream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 beaten egg, saved 2tbsp aside for glazing
- 2-3 tbsps milk to adjust the dough

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Line a baking pan with baking paper and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, ground almond, xanthan gum, salt, sugar, orange zest and baking powder. Stir a few times to mix thoroughly the dry ingredients.

Put the butter cubes on top of the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter (or two knives or fingers) to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Mix in the dried fruits and stir a few times. 

Make a well in the centre and add the cream mixture, vanilla plus remaining beaten egg.

Use a rubber spatula to mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until everything clumps together. Keeping turning the mixture downside up as you mix. If there is dry flour at the bottom of the bowl, add 1 tbsp milk each time as you turn and mix the dough. The dough should be on the damp side, not crumbly nor dry to touch.

Dust gluten free flour on a clean work surface. Tip the dough out onto the floured surface, sprinkle a little more flour on the top and tap the dough out so that you can fold in halves or 3 thirds. I like to refrigerate the dough at this stage (at least for 1 hour, overnight fine) before I continue. If you are in rush, you can continue the rest of the steps below.

Gently roll out the dough to a depth of about 3 cm.

Use a round/fluted cookie cutter (I use 5cm) to cut rounds from the dough and carefully transfer to the lined baking pan. Gather any remaining dough and repeat the rolling and cutting process until all the dough is used up. I usually get 8 proper ones plus 1-2 taste (smaller) sizes.

Brush the scone top with the saved beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, turn the baking pan halfway, until well-risen and golden.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

The scones are the best on the day of baking. Otherwise, reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds before eating.

*For chocolate scones, replace 40 g flour with cocoa powder. Up the sugar to 60 g to offset the cocoa bitterness. 

**The richer the dairy, the lighter taste the scones (not in terms of calories unfortunately). Dairy mixture with yogurt gives a slight spongy texture compared to creme fraiche thinned with milk.