Continuing with the theme of cooking seasonally, blood oranges are still in the grocery stores! So that means more blood orange creations! Our family favorites are gluten-free scone creations and so that is what this weeks recipe is! Gluten-Free Blood Orange Scones, and man were they delicious!!
What is a Scone?
According to Wikipedia “a scone is a baked good, usually made of wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent and baked on a baking pan.” Historically scones were cooked on a griddle in a large flat circle and then cut into triangles once baked. There are many regional varieties of scones. In America, they are commonly sweet, dry and crumbly. They are usually triangular and contain some sort of sweet or fruit and often topped with icing, eaten as they are (not topped with cream, jam, etc) and served with tea or coffee.
Some of this is new knowledge to me! Did you know all these facts about scones? We just know if our family likes to eat them for breakfast on weekends. It has been my mission to perfect the gluten-free scone and I have finally done that and now have learned how to adapt the flavors!
Secrets for making gluten-free scones
First of all gluten-free baked goods often get a bad rap. But these scones are so good you won’t even miss the gluten. The secret to these scones is making sure to use butter that is cold talking straight from the refrigerator (or you can freeze it) and make sure to cut the butter into small pea sized peices. THis is what adds to that crumbly, flaky texture. Also make sure to start with small amounts of liquid and then add additional as needed, otherwise you will end up with cakey scones. Which is okay too if that is what you are going for, but if you want that flaky, crumbly scone consistency less is more where liquid is involved. I also always cook with Bob Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour. I am not sure how these would turn out with other gluten free flours, but try and do let me know!
Tools to Make Recipe
Most things you will have on hand. First will be a zester to zest the orange peel. In addition, you will need a baking pan to bake them on lined with parchment paper. To cut in the butter you will need either two knives (my preferred method) or a pastry cutter. And finally a bowl and silicone spatula/spoon to stir everything together. See you most likely have all the tools you need.
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cup GF flour (Bob Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour)
- 1 TBS GF baking powder
- 1/2 cup dextrose (sugar substitute)
- 1 stick cold butter cut into small squares
- 3/4 -1 cup Fairlife milk (milk substitute) – start with 3/4 cup and add more 1-2TBS at time as needed for desired consistency
- zest of 1-2 small blood oranges
- 1/4 cup blood orange juice
How to Make
First combine GF flour, baking powder, and dextrose (sugar substitute) and stir until combined. Next cut diced butter into the flour mixture. I like to use two knives to cut the butter diagonally until small and pea-shaped or the mixture becomes crumbly, you can also use a pastry cutter. Once the mixture is crumbly, now add your liquids including blood orange juice and milk. Start with 3/4 cup milk and add additional 1-2TBS milk at a time until reach desired consistency. It should be crumbly, but also you should be able to form the mixture together to come into a ball shape. Be careful the mixture can get wet very quickly!
FAQ
- Should butter be cold for scones?
- Yes, you will want your butter to be very cold. So wait to take the butter out of the refrigerator until you are ready to cut it into your flour mixture. You could also (if you remember) to freeze your butter for 10-15 minutes prior to making the recipe to make it even crumblier.
- Best temperature to bake scones at?
- The best temperature to perfectly cook and create that perfectly golden brown and crisp scone with flaky inside is 400 degrees F.
- How thick should scones be before baking?
- You want to make sure you flatten your circle before cutting into wedges into roughly a 1/2 inch in thickness.
- What is a perfect scone texture
- That is up to you. Our family likes perfectly crisped light brown on the outside and flaky, buttery, crumbly on the inside.
- How do I make my scones more moist?
- Add more liquid to the scones 1-2 TBS at a time prior to forming into a ball. The scones should be able to come into a ball, not easily but with a little bit of work. The dough should be crumbly and flaky and not overly moist prior to forming a ball. If it comes together to quickly and to easily you most likely will have very wet and cakey scones after baking and have to bake them longer.
Other Blood Orange Recipes
Check out additional blood orange recipes below:
Blood Orange Gluten-Free Scones
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cup GF flour (Bob Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour)
- 1/2 cup dextrose (sugar substitute)
- zest 2 blood oranges
- 1 TBS GF Baking Powder
- 1 stick butter – cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup blood orange juice
- 3/4 – 1 cup Fairlife milk (milk substitute)
Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp GF vanilla extract
- 1 TBS Fairlife milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix together GF flour, GF baking powder, dextrose, and orange zest until combined.
- Add butter to your flour mixture. Cut the butter into your flour mixture via pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture is crumbly and butter pea-sized in shape.
- Once the mixture is crumbly in nature add the blood orange juice and 3/4 cup of fairlife milk to start. The mixture should be shaggy or crime and you should be able to form it into a ball with a little bit of work. If not able to form into a ball add 1-2TBS of Fairflife milk at a time until desired consistency.
- Place dough now formed into a ball on a baking pan lined with parchment paper and flatten until disk shape and roughly 1/2 in diameter. Cut the disc into 8 triangles or wedges. Separate wedges from each other to cook.
- Cook in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until golden in color and cooked through.
- If you made the dough too sticky leave the triangles together and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, separate wedges and cook for additional 12 minutes until golden in color and cooked through.
Vanilla Icing
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 TBS at a time of Fairlife milk (milk substitute) until reach desired consistency for frosting.
- Drizzle over slightly cooled or completely cooled scones and enjoy!
- ***Scones typically last in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat zap in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
