Blueberry and Apple Scones

I got a lift home from work today so had time to whip up some scones quickly for an afternoon snack before collecting the boys. After eating these, M (my non-wheat free son) announced "Best. Scones. Ever!", so I'm guessing they were good.

Today I used my normal recipe (120g flour), but ended up with a mix that was too wet and had to add some more flour. I was using Sainsbury's Gluten Free Self Raising Flour today, but usually use Orgran, be aware that different GF flour blends need different quantities of fluid. 

Scone mix doesn't like to be overworked, so it's better to have a little less flour and end up with too wet mix, adding more flour if necessary, then to have a too dry mix and try adding more fluid. Of course, it could be the extra wetness from the grated apple too...

150g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour

1/2tsp Baking Powder

50g Hard Dairy and Soya Free Margarine (e.g. Stork Block) - cut into cubes

30mls Milk Substitute

100g Apple or Pear Puree

1 Apple (grated)

1/2 - 1 cup Blueberries

Extra Flour and Milk Substitute for kneading & glazing

Put flour, baking powder and margarine in a bowl, rub in with your fingers until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a blunt knife until it all comes together.

If it looks too sticky, sprinkle extra flour round edges of bowl and lightly kneed together to form a ball.

Tip onto work surface (or straight onto oiled tray) and lightly shape into a circle about 4cm high (gluten free scones don't rise much more during baking, so make them about the thickness you want you finished scones to be).

Glaze the top with a little milk substitute (I put a splash into the container from the fruit puree and mix with whats left in there).

Cut into 8 and place on baking tray.

Bake at 220ºC for 15 minutes.

Cool slightly on a wire rack before eating.

These were the ones I made on the Friday when I started to write it up!

This was from the batch I did today (always good to check recipe works!)

Wanted to try to show the fluffy scone like texture inside
as often gluten free ones are very dry.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Scones

It was another typical Monday, get home at 1.30, have just over an hour before getting boys from school, then heading to gymnastics, before getting home to a late dinner. One day I'll use this time wisely and sit down with a coffee, snack and a book… What I actually do is make myself a coffee & leave it to go cold while I make something for dinner. Today I though it would be a good idea to squeeze in an after school snack too! 

I'd seen pumpkin spiced something (can't remember what) on twitter earlier today and thought the sweet potato scone recipe would adapt well. The butternut squash adds enough natural sweetness so they didn't need extra sugar, but if you prefer a sweeter scone, add about a tablespoon to the flour mix

This makes 6 Scones

120g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Mixed Spice

1/4tsp Grated Nutmeg

50g Dairy & Soya Free Margarine

100g Mashed Butternut Squash* (or tinned pumpkin puree)

1/2tsp Vinegar or Lemon Juice

30mls Milk Substitute (plus additional for glazing)

*Peel and chop about 2-3cm of the neck of a butternut squash, put in bowl, cover with cling film & microwave for 3-4 mins (depending on size of chunks) or until soft enough to mash.

Put flour, baking powder and spices in a bowl.

Add margarine and rub in until it resembles course breadcrumbs.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a knife until just coming together.

Knead lightly (don't overwork scone mix or it becomes tough when baked) until you have a smooth dough.

Tip out of the bowl and gently flatten with your hand until it's about 2.5cm thick (gluten free scones don't rise much when cooked).

Cut out scones and gently reshape dough until all used up. Place on a greased baking tray. I only managed 5 and a bit today!

Brush tops with a little milk substitute.

Bake at 220ºc for 20mins.

Great served warm, fresh from the oven. 

I made a little maple 'butter' by mixing a tsp of maple syrup with about 20g of dairy and soya free margarine, but boys were just as happy to eat the rest plain.