TeatimeTreats Event

This is a bit of a cheat as I'm re-posting a recipe I posted last year. However I wanted to support Naomi over at Straight to bed Cakefree and Dried with her new Gluten free baking event and I'm not up to cooking and photographing anything new.

These cheese scones are a real teatime treat in our house so in that way at least I'm not cheating. Scones are a really traditional part of teatime in Britain be they plain with jam and cream, ones with sultanas in served with butter or cheese ones like this. This recipe goes down very well with the Gluten eaters here as well so hopefully everyone will enjoy them.. they come out a little flatter than gluten ones tend to but not by much to be honest and have a nice rustic look to them and a good flavour.

As with any scones really they are best served fresh still warm from the oven. They will re-warm in the microwave the next day if you like and keep reasonably well though they rarely last past a day with us.

Gram flour Cheese Scones

(adapted from Wholewheat cheese-crusted scones in Delia Smith's Complete cookery course.)

6oz Gluten free general purpose flour mix
6 oz Gram flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp GF baking powder
4 tsp Xanthan gum
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
2 oz butter (room temp)
1 tsp mustard (Delia uses mustard powder, the old tin of colmans I used to have included wheat flour in the ingredients list but on-line it seems to just list mustard flour now in which case you can use it)
6 oz grated cheddar cheese (or similar strongly flavoured hard cheese)
4 -6 tbsp milk
2 large eggs
extra milk to brush tops and a little more cayenne if you like them to have a kick.

Instructions
Preheat oven to gas mark 7, 425F or 220C

Shift and mix the flours, salt, cayenne, baking powder, Xanthan gum plus mustard if you have a powder rather than a wet mix all into a big bowl.

Cut the butter into small pieces and rub in with your fingers till the mixture is crumbly.

Mix in most of the cheese, keeping back a little to use on the tops later.

In a separate bowl beat together the eggs and 4 tbsp of milk. Mix in the mustard if it is a made up variety. Add to the main bowl and mix until you have a soft dough. You may need to add a little more milk depending on the size of the eggs.

Roll out on a floured surface to a bit less than an inch then cut out rounds with a cutter. I vary how big I make them but about 2 inches or so is a nice size. Place on a greased baking sheet and brush the tops with milk then sprinkle with a little cheese plus more cayenne pepper if you like.

Bake for 15-20 mins towards the top of the oven unless you have a convection oven where it matters less. transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool till warm... eat with butter or more cheese or both!

Adaptations

I have also made these with half the cheddar and half small pieces of feta plus some chopped sundried tomatoes which is a nice combination.