scones

Chocolate Chip Walnut Sourdough Scones

Scones, tender, flakey, full of yumminess… something I used to make years ago. Kinda gave up on them until I attempted blueberry scones last weekend and made with excess sourdough starter, generally called discard. I had created the starter a few weeks ago using brown rice flour and had made a tasty loaf of seeded white sourdough bread in my 8.5 x 4.5 tall, sided loaf pan. So, I was looking for a way to use up the excess sourdough starter. Last week I couldn’t find a recipe for blueberry sourdough gf scones, so I took a gluten-based recipe and reconfigured it to make with a one for one blend: they were so good I made more; today I used a different 1-1 blend; used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour Blend. I used a half cup of thick starter like last week. I added a touch of cinnamon to complement the nuts and chocolate. They baked a bit faster than the ones last week; maybe because no frozen fruit in it. The chocolate and walnuts were at room temp. I ate the first one when it was slightly warm. It was indeed heaven in a scone shape. Crisp outside, tender inside. Bursts of dark chocolate chip. It was another religious experience for me. The crumb was moist and as perfect as I could ask for. If you like scones you have to try this version too! I don’t know what you can sub for the sourdough starter. Possibly slightly thinned Greek yogurt? Or you should just make starter so you can bake these scones. There are lots of starter recipes out there. Mine is brown rice flour based but you can use sorghum or teff or almost any flour around

I mixed it with a spoon and then dumped it out; seemed dryish but as I gently kneaded it the dough became more fully blended and the dry flour mix disappeared.  Trust me, it is easy to make and utterly decadent despite no fancy sweet icing. I think I will make raspberry ones next as I have frozen berries in the freezer.

The dry mix with wet ingredients just added on top.
The wheel of 8 slices of dough ready to be placed on the baking sheet.
Ready for the oven!
Cooling on the rack; they sure got nice and plump!

Angie’s Chocolate Chip and Walnut Sourdough Scones (makes 8)

Ingredients:

200 grams 1-1 Gluten free flour blend; I used King Aurthur Measure for Measure

50 grams almond flour

100 grams granulated sugar

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

7.5 Tbsp of cold butter

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

heaping 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet if you like them better.

½ cup sourdough starter (Use the discard if you are creating discard)

1 large egg

1/3 c cold whole milk

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Until it is tiny pebbles of dough and butter.

Add the egg, starter and ¼ c of the milk. Mix to break up egg and start the blending process. Add in the chocolate and nuts and continue stirring. As it gets to be a thick dough dump it out on your breadboard with all the dry bits and hand knead it to coalesce it into a thick dough. Form it into a large disc; about 8-9 inches across. Cut into 8 wedges; cut in half, then quarters then again into eighths. Spread them out on a cookie sheet that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Put the sheet in a cold place to chill while you heat the oven. Heat to 355 degrees.

Put the sheet in to bake. If you have a convection cycle they will be done in about 22 minutes; the outside needs to be light brown, bottom browned and they look done. If you don’t have convection they will likely take a few more minutes.  Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and move to a rack. They cooled rapidly and I couldn’t resist eating one. Plain. Now I am not hungry for supper. I just want more scones.

Enjoy! I think they will freeze nicely; vacuum sealing would be a good way to go about it.

Blueberry Sourdough Scones

Scones, tender, flakey, full of yumminess… something I used to make years ago. Kinda gave up on them, had made some but sort of heavy. So, I assumed all scones were generally pretty sad when made gluten free. Well, today I attempted them and made a batch with leftover sourdough starter which is generally called discard. I had created the starter last week using brown rice flour and had made a tasty loaf of seeded white sourdough bread in my 8.5 x 4.5 tall, sided loaf pan. So, I was looking for a way to use up the excess sourdough starter. I couldn’t find a recipe for blueberry sourdough gf scones, so I took a gluten-based recipe and reconfigured it to make with a one for one blend: specifically, Bob’s Redmill 1-1 Blend. I used a half cup of thick starter. I left out the recipe’s lemon ingredients as I just wanted blueberry and scone as the flavors. I also returned the dairy back to real dairy like actual butter and milk.  I ate the first one when it was just to room temperature. It was like heaven in a scone shape. Crisp outside, tender inside. Bursts of blueberries rendered me speechless. It was somewhat of a religious experience for a baker like me. I have never eaten such a tender delicate gluten free baked item. The crumb was moist and as perfect as I could ask for. You have to try this! I don’t know what you can sub for the sourdough starter. Maybe Greek yogurt? Maybe you should just make starter so you can bake these scones. 

I don’t know what flavor I will make next but I do know there will be a next time. Frozen blueberries worked so well; keeping the dough chilly as I mixed it with a wooden spoon and then kneading it with my bare hands.  Trust me, it is easy to make and utterly decadent despite no icing or chocolate or nuts. I may make it with some nuts and chocolate next weekend. Can. Not. Wait.

As I am about to mix it together.
Ready to bake scones.
Just baked scones still on sheet from oven

Angie’s Blueberry Sourdough Scones (GF of course)

Ingredients:

200 grams 1-1 Gluten free flour blend; I used Bob’s Redmill

50 grams almond flour

100 grams granulated sugar

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

7.5 Tbsp of cold butter

1 heaping cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

½ cup sourdough starter (Use the discard if you are creating discard)

1 large egg

1/3 c cold whole milk

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cut in cold butter with a butter cutter or 2 knives. Until it is tiny pebbles of dough and butter.

Add the egg, starter and ¼ c of the milk. Mix to break up egg and start the blending process. Add in the frozen berries (or fresh) and continue stirring. As it gets to be a thick dough dump it out on your breadboard with all the dry bits and hand knead it to coalesce it into a thick dough. Form it into a large disc; about 8-9 inches across. Cut into 8 wedges; cut in half, then quarters then again into eighths. Spread them out on a cookie sheet that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Put the sheet in a cold place to chill while you heat the oven. Heat to 355 degrees.

Put the sheet in to bake. If you have a convection cycle they will be done in about 25 minutes; the outside needs to be light brown, bottom browned and they look done. I tried 18-20 min but that wasn’t enough. I think my total was 26 minutes. If you don’t have convection they will likely take a few more minutes.  Let cool on pan for 5 minutes and move to a rack. I got distracted and just left the pan of scones on the rack! They cooled rapidly and I couldn’t resist eating one. Plain. Now I am not hungry for lunch. I just want more scones.

Enjoy! I think they will freeze nicely; vacuum sealing would be a good way to go about it.

Fruity Scones – GF and Delightful!

Scones are a guilty pleasure; full of butter and what ever yummies you folded in. My friend Josh was stopping by and I wanted to make a treat for us. Scones aren’t generally something I make just for me. So these were a special delight in the late afternoon. The recipe was new to me and came off the King Arthur Flour website. It is super easy and definitely a keeper.  https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-scones-recipe

Use whatever drop ins you want; I used a mixture of dried berries and cherries, plus some dried cranberries and a good sprinkle of currants.  Plus some orange zest and a touch of lemon extract.  Go with flavors you like and dried fruit/nuts in your cupboard.  I made 10 smaller ones but the original recipe was 8 big fat ones. You will surely impress anyone eating these scones.

scones

The rear one is more of a wedge shape. The others were made in an old tin muffin pan; great browning in that pan….

Fruity Scones –

makes 8 big ones or 10 smaller scones

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup King Arthur Basic All Around gf blend (the mix I use all the time)

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. xanthan gum

½ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. nutmeg (skimpy)

Sprinkle cinnamon

1 stick cold butter

Grated zest of one small orange

¾ cup of dried fruit; cut into ½ inch dice. I used mixed berries/cherries, currants and dried cranberries; go with any mixture you have

1/3 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

½ tsp.  lemon extract or 1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions: Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, I used my stand mixer. By hand is do-able. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 10 muffin cups or a sectioned scone pan or a baking sheet.

Cut stick of butter into about 10 thin slices, blend into flour mixture. (You can use a pastry cutter to blend in the butter or even a butter knife but the stand mixer is super quick and easy.)  Grate the orange rind into the blend. Blend in the dried fruit briefly. In a small bowl mix milk, eggs and extract.  Pour into the dry mixture and blend briefly; get all dry stuff mixed in. Do not over mix. Using a big serving spoon just blop big chunks of the dough into the sectioned scone pan or muffin cups or onto baking sheet; if you do the sheet you could shape them into the traditional wedge shape. [The original recipe says to let them rest 15 minutes at this  point… before baking; forgot to do this; next time!] Sprinkle with coarse finishing sugar if you like and I do. About a tablespoon is plenty to spread around. Bake 15-20 minutes until light brown. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Butter can be applied (a certain friend seemed to enjoy that embellishment!) but I found them rich enough all alone.  Enjoy!