The Humble Scone

Scones have come a long way since our grandmothers' days. First, the thick topping of butter was removed so we could all live longer. Then the flour had to change. For lactose intolerant people, milk had to go. And if you happen to be dairy-free as well, you'll be left with only the salt!

Gluten-free scones can be delicious or disastrous. They need to be crisp and chewy, but far from dense. And most of all, they must be moist enough to not irritate the back of your throat into the next day. Recently I challenged myself to come up with a couple of good recipes for a gluten-free, dairy-free family that prefer to use simple, everyday ingredients. Here's a couple of my results, together with the classic cheese scone (obviously not dairy-free).

Apple Scones
1 1/4 cup GF flour mix*
50 grams/3 Tablespoons dairy-free spread (or butter, if you prefer)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated, cored apple (skin on)
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 200C. Rub the spread into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the baking powder, salt, and apple. Finally, add water and mix until smooth. Grease a baking tray (or cover with a non-stick silicone mat). Use a dessert spoon to place spoonfuls of the mixture on the tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

Makes approximately 14 smallish scones.

Pumpkin and Silverbeet Scones

1 1/4 cup GF flour mix*

50 grams/3 Tablespoons DF spread (or butter, if you prefer)
1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin, with skin removed
1 cup finely chopped (raw) silverbeet, tightly packed
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water (I used reserved water from when I cooked the pumpkin)

Preheat oven to 200C. Rub the spread into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the pumpkin, silverbeet, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined. Add water and mix until smooth. Grease a baking tray (or cover with a non-stick silicone mat). Use a dessert spoon to place spoonfuls of the mixture on the tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

Makes approximately 18 smallish scones.

Cheese Scones

2 cups GF flour mix*

50 grams butter

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chilli powder (optional)

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 200C. Chop the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the baking powder, salt, seasoning and cheese. Add milk and mix until smooth. Grease a baking tray (or cover with a non-stick silicone mat). Use a dessert spoon to place large spoonfuls of the mixture on the tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

Makes 12-16 scones.

*The flour mix I have used is:
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup potato flour
1 Tablespoon xanthan gum

Easy Meat Patties

Meat Patties were such a normal part of my life before I became gluten-free but I thought I could manage without them for life. Well, that wasn't so! Before too long I was craving a simple McDonald's burger and yes, I even went and bought a bun-less burger from them one day to appease my craves. However, burgers without buns don't fill me up very easily and I was still left hungry - as was my wallet. And that's when I started experimenting at home.

What I learned is that it doesn't take a lot to make a GF meat patty. It's not so important what you put in it, as what you serve with it. So, whether you like mashed potatoes and greens, or salad, gherkin and tomato sauce, these are definitely worth making! Or, shape them into balls to make meatballs. Gluten free cooking doesn't have to be complicated! We like these best when served with bread, lettuce, grated carrot, pineapple, gherkin, cheese, and a selection of sauces.

Meat Patties
500g beef mince
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 220C. Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined. Press small amounts into the palm of your hand until about 8mm thick. Lay the patties into a shallow oven tray and bake at 220C for 15 minutes, turn and bake another 15 minutes or until crispy on the edges.

Makes 8-10

Notes:
Shape into large golf balls to make meatballs.
These can just as easily be fried in a pan on the stove-top. No oil is needed for frying.
Once cooled, these patties can be put into a container or suitable bag to be frozen for later use.