The X - Files: Baking with Xanthan Gum (Scones)

I love to bake. So it's unsurprisingly that my family and friends would kindly gift me with gluten-free cookbooks. What is surprising is that I never use them. I don't know why, they're all well-reviewed and filled with delicious sounding recipes. For some reason, I just didn't want to venture into gluten-free baking; it seemed too complicated with the different flours, dough enhancers, vinegar, etc. Well, here is an example of personal growth through blogging. For the sake of my blog, I decided to try out gluten-free baking with all it's complexities. As documented earlier, I went to the NLC and invested in a variety of flours and xanthan gum. I was ready to begin.

For my maiden voyage I choose something easy and that I really miss: scones. Whole Foods has an excellent Almond Scone I enlist my Mom to get for me every time I go home, but it's not quite the same. So, I pulled out my copy of More From the Gluten-Free Gourmet and assembled the ingredients for English Tea Scones.

English Tea Scones

• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, blend together all the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the yogurt until the dough forms a soft ball.

Knead lightly on a rice floured board. Roll out to 3/4 inches thick and cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place the rounds on a greased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.


Top with jam and Devonshire Cream (1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla blended). Delicious - sweet, tender and flaky. I was so excited about my successful gluten-free baking and my yummy results, I called my Mom to brag! Even my sister enjoyed them, she remarked they went very well with the tea. Well, it was Twinning's English Breakfast Tea and they're called English Tea Scone, so I hope they went well together!

Afternoon Tea

I was delighted this past Sunday afternoon to have nothing to do. The past two months of weekends have been busy, busy, busy. It was wonderful to brew a pot of tea and settle into the couch with a good book for an hour or two. The perfect accompaniment to my afternoon tea: croissant de chocolate. These croissants have been hoarded in my freezer since last year and it seemed like a perfect day to enjoy them. My sister discovered these while studying in Spain last spring. Mom and I went over to visit her and she kindly stocked up for my breakfast.
I think I might move to Europe solely for these croissants. They are (drum roll, please) flaky! A definite rarity in gluten-free baked-goods. And are filled with a delicious dark chocolate filling.

These croissants (along with many other delicious looking gluten-free products) are produced by Proceli Turull, a Spanish company headquartered in Barcelona. Their products are available throughout Europe, but sadly not in the States. You can visit their website for some drool-worthy pictures (baguettes, yum). And, if you every find yourself in Europe, be sure to bring home enough to stock your freezer!


A lovely afternoon, but I'm so sad to only have one croissant left! Anyone planning a European adventure?