Gluten-Free Makeovers (25 page)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil nine muffin top cups.

Combine the flour blend, cornmeal, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs and milk. Whisk into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and whisk just to moisten and combine.

Divide the batter among the muffin top cups and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula that has been sprayed with vegetable spray so that they are even.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. (The tops will brown in the toaster.) Turn out onto a wire rack and cool. Toast lightly before eating.

If these are not used within a couple of days, they can be frozen for future use.

Scones and I
were never properly introduced. By the time they made it into the American culinary world, I was not able to eat them. However, if I could eat a gluten-filled scone, I imagine it would taste just like these—light and tender to bite, but substantial enough to satisfy.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon rice flour onto the paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour blend, baking powder, and baking soda; mix well. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. (This can be done in a food processor, by using two forks, or with a pastry blender.)

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, brown sugar, 1 egg, cranberries, and orange peel. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Blend well until the dough begins to clump into a ball.

Turn the dough out onto the prepared pan. Turn the dough a couple of time, pressing it and kneading it together. Press into an 8- or 9-inch circle and cut into ten wedges. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush the top with the egg wash. Use a spatula to slightly separate the wedges.

Bake 14 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes.

The scones may be served warm or at room temperature. Do not serve directly from the oven. Serve with softened butter or jam. For a romantic tea party, serve with a pot of lemon curd (check ingredients as some brands may contain wheat) or clotted cream.

Tip
:
In my mind, scones are meant to be more like a biscuit and therefore not too sweet. If you prefer a sweeter pastry, add more brown sugar.

To create these
delicate biscuits I borrowed elements from two outstanding mainstream biscuit sources—the classic Bakewell Cream biscuits and Neil Kleinberg’s Buttermilk Biscuit recipe in the
Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook
, then added a few of my own touches. These are easy to make and delightful to serve and eat. Softened butter and good quality preserves or marmalade are great accompaniments.