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Ingredients
- SCONES
- 1 1/2 1 1/2 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (227 g) all-purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
- 1 1 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 5 5 to tablespoons (30 g) nonfat dry milk, ground to a fine powder (in a blender or food processor)
- 3 3 3 tablespoons (27 g) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 5 5 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, chopped into large chunks and chilled
- 1 1 1 egg (60 g, out of shell), beaten and chilled
- Seeds from half of a vanilla bean
- 2 2 2 tablespoons (42 g) Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or honey)
- 1 1 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 2/3 1/3 cup (5 1/3 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream, chilled (can use milk instead—just not nonfat)
- VANILLA BEAN GLAZE
- Seeds from (other) half of a vanilla bean
- 1 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 cups (173 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 2 1/4 tablespoons milk (any kind), plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful, if necessary
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
First, make the scones. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, nonfat dry milk, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the chopped and chilled butter, and toss to coat it in the dry ingredients. Flatten each chunk of butter between your thumb and forefinger. Whisk the egg, seeds from half a vanilla bean, Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or honey) and vanilla extract into the milk or cream. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk or cream mixture. Mix gently until the dough begins to come together. If necessary, press together into a dough with floured hands, handling the dough as little as possible.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured piece of unbleached parchment paper and press into a disk. Place another piece of unbleached parchment paper on top of the dough, and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick. Remove the top piece of parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, replace the parchment paper and roll out the dough once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Once more, remove the top piece of parchment paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, and fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, replace the parchment paper and roll out the dough, but this time into a 7-inch square that is about 3/4-inch thick. The dough should have a smooth, even surface. Peel back the top piece of parchment paper, and with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 4 equal squares. Cut each square into 4 equal triangles by cutting an “X” through the center of the square. Place the wedges about 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet, and chill in the freezer until firm (about 10 minutes).
Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the scones are puffed and very pale golden (about 10 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the scones are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the seeds from the (other) half of a vanilla bean into the confectioners’ sugar until the seeds are evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Add 2 tablespoon of milk, and mix well, until a thick paste forms. Add more milk by the 1/4-teaspoon, mixing to combine well, until the glaze falls off the spoon slowly, in a thick but pourable glaze. Add milk very slowly, as it is much easier to thin, than to thicken, the glaze. If you do thin the glaze too much, add more confectioners’ sugar a teaspoon at a time to thicken it. Either dip the tops of the cooled scones into the glaze, or spoons it on top of the scones and spread into an even layer. Allow to set at room temperature before serving.