GLUTEN FREE LAVENDER SCENTED SCONES: GLUTEN FREE TEA PARTY RECIPES PART VI

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

GF Lavender Scented Scones

     These scones have a wonderful flavor and texture.  I found the idea for a Lavender scone while wandering around cyberspace perusing recipes and ideas for my afternoon Tea. 

     I made one recipe (it was a regular wheat flour recipe that I converted by using GF flours) that turned out like a fluffy biscuit with whole lavender flowers.  The texture was not what I imagined when I thought of scones. The lavender flavor was uneven and, at random, a bite of whole flowers would have a very overpowering and almost bitter taste.

     Next I decided to look up a scone recipe from Martha Stewart.  In the past I have found that her recipes taste just like I remember from my childhood and are always very good.  On her website there is a scone recipe from the Savoy Hotel in London.  I went to their website; they have been serving an elegant Afternoon Tea since 1903. If you have about a minute to spare there is a video about their Tea; if only it were gluten free. 

     The Savoy Hotel is famous for their scones, so I decided to convert this recipe.  I added lavender flowers, finely chopped into a powder, to the dry ingredients before mixing in the milk.  This recipe came out perfectly.  The texture was just like I expected and wanted from a scone; it was moist, flavorful and tender.  With finely chopped flowers the lavender flavor was delicately and evenly distributed throughout the entire scone. 

    It is surprisingly fast and easy to make these scones and they only take about 12-15 minutes to bake. Make these just before Tea time so they can be served warm. To save time and fuss on the day of the Tea, mix the dry ingredients a day or more ahead and store the mix in a plastic baggie until ready to use.

GLUTEN FREE LAVENDER SCENTED SCONES

Ingredients    

1 ¼ cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flours
½ tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
4 tsp.	Baking Powder
1 Tbs.	Lavender Flowers (dried) chopped finely into a powder
5 Tbs.	Sugar
5 Tbs.	Butter – Cold; cut into 1 Tbs. sized pieces
Pinch	Salt
2/3 cups	Milk
1	Egg, mixed with a fork, for brushing onto the scones before baking

Directions

     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

     In a large bowl place all the flours; xanthan or guar gum; baking powder; lavender; sugar; and salt.

Lavender chopped into a fine powder.

     Stir all the dry ingredients together well so that they are evenly distributed and well mixed.

     If you have a food processor, add all the dry ingredients to the bowl of the processor and pulse a few times to mix well. Next add the pieces of cold butter to the flour and pulse until all the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are detectable. 

     If you do not have a food processor, add the butter to the flour mixture in a bowl and with a pastry cutter or two knives cut the cold butter and flour mixture together until no pieces of butter are visible to the eye and all the flour is coated. 

     The mixture should resemble wet sand when done. 

     If you used a food processor pour the flour mixture into a mixing bowl before the next step.

     Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  

     Add all of the milk at one time to the center of the well.

     With a fork stir the milk into the flour mixture until just moistened.  Do not mix too much or the scones will be heavy like a rock.

     Place a piece of plastic wrap about 18” long on a board or on the counter top.

     Scrape out the dough onto the plastic wrap.

     With wet hands shape the dough into a circle, to make triangles; or into a rectangle if using round biscuit cutters or to make large or small triangles. Dough should be 1-1 ½ inches thick.

Cut circle into eight wedges to make large scones.

For large scones cut rectangle into quarters and then each quarter in half at a diagonal.

For smaller scones, first cut the rectangle in half lengthwise.  Then cut  the rectangle into thirds width wise.  Cut each sixth in half at a diagonal.

For round scones use a 2 1/2" biscuit cutter that has been dipped into GF flour and cut into
about eight to ten scones.

     Cut desired shapes and place 2” apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

     Let rest uncovered for 15 minutes.

     Brush with egg.  If desired, sprinkle with a few lavender flowers or with sugar ( I did not use the sugar or lavender on top of the scones).

     Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Large and small scones.

Large scone (orange chocolate chip) in back and small scone in front.

     Cool on rack.
     Serve warm with clotted cream and jam.

     They were good at room temperature the day I made them, but the next day they were better heated before serving.

     I bought a jar of ready made Devonshire Clotted Cream at Whole Foods Market. If you are really ambitious, there are many recipes on-line that tell you how to make real clotted cream.  It does take 8-12 hours, at least, to form the clotted cream.

     If you cannot find some in a store and do not feel like making it yourself, you can make Mock Clotted Cream easily with the following recipe. It is NOT the same as the real thing, but it will go very well with scones and jam.

MOCK CLOTTED CREAM

Ingredients

1 cup	Heavy or Whipping Cream
¼ cup	Sour Cream

Directions

     In a small mixer bowl beat cream and sour cream until soft peaks form. This makes 2 ¼ cups.

GLUTEN FREE LAVENDER SCENTED SCONES Ingredients 1 ¼ cup Sorghum Flour ¼ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flours ½ tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum 4 tsp. Baking Powder 1 Tbs. Lavender Flowers (dried) chopped finely into a powder 5 Tbs. Sugar 5 Tbs. Butter – Cold; cut into 1 Tbs. sized pieces Pinch Salt 2/3 cups Milk 1 Egg, mixed with a fork, for brushing onto the scones before baking Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl place all the flours; xanthan or guar gum; baking powder; lavender; sugar; and salt. Stir all the dry ingredients together well so that they are evenly distributed and well mixed. If you have a food processor, add all the dry ingredients to the bowl of the processor and pulse a few times to mix well. Next add the pieces of cold butter to the flour and pulse until all the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are detectable. If you do not have a food processor, add the butter to the flour mixture in a bowl and with a pastry cutter or two knives cut the cold butter and flour mixture together until no pieces of butter are visible to the eye and all the flour is coated. The mixture should resemble wet sand when done. If you used a food processor pour the flour mixture into a mixing bowl before the next step. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add all of the milk at one time to the center of the well. With a fork stir the milk into the flour mixture until just moistened. Do not mix too much or the scones will be heavy like a rock. Place a piece of plastic wrap about 18” long on a board or on the counter top. Scrape out the dough onto the plastic wrap. With wet hands shape the dough into a circle to make triangles or into a rectangle if using round biscuit cutters or to make large or small triangles. Dough should be 1-1 ½ inches thick. Cut desired shapes and place 2” apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Let rest uncovered for 15 minutes. Brush with egg. If desired, sprinkle with a few lavender flowers or with sugar ( I did not use the sugar nor the lavender on top of the scones). Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack. Serve warm with clotted cream and jam. They were good at room temperature the day I made them, but the next day they were better heated before serving.

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GLUTEN FREE JEWISH APPLE CAKE; GF TEA PARTY PART V – SWEETS CONTINUED

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     This recipe was one from my college roommate, Diane.  During one of the school breaks from SUNY Oswego I stayed with her family, who lives in East Aurora, New York.  Her mother made this cake while I was visiting and that was the first time I ever tasted this recipe.  I have made this cake many times over the last 40 years (I can’t believe I graduated college almost 40 years ago!) with many compliments on both taste and texture.

     I was able to convert it to gluten free successfully.  This recipe stays very moist and the apples are soft and flavorful.  I have tried baking this cake many ways.  I have cut the apples thick and thin; with two layers of apples and with one larger one; with vanilla extract, orange extract and almond extract.  It comes out good no matter how you slice it…pun intended.

GLUTEN FREE JEWISH APPLE CAKE

CAKE
2 cups	Sorghum Flour
½ cup	Tapioca Flour
½ cup	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour
2 cups	Sugar
1 cup	Butter, melted or oil
4	Eggs
2 tsp.	Pure Vanilla, Orange or Almond Extract
4 tsp.	Baking Powder
2 tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
½ tsp.	Salt
½ cup	Orange Juice
2 Tbs.	Apple Cider Vinegar
APPLE FILLING
6	Apples, medium sized (McIntosh, Stayman Winesap & Fiji apples work well.)
3 Tbs.	Sugar
1 tsp.	Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 10"/12 cup Bundt pan.

Position oven rack in center of oven.

     Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. 

     In a bowl, place apples, 3 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.

     In a saucepan, melt butter.  Add 2 cups of sugar and stir.  Allow to cool.

     Add eggs and pure extract of your choice to the butter/sugar mixture in the pan and mix well.

     In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add flours; baking powder; salt; xanthan or guar gum.  Stir until well blended.

     Add the butter, sugar and egg mixture to the flour.  Also add the orange juice and mix well.

     Add the vinegar last and mix in until well blended.

     For one large layer of apples put ½ the batter in the greased bundt pan.  Layer all the apples evenly over the batter and then cover the layer of apples with the rest of the batter.

     For two thinner layers of apples, put 1/3 the batter in the pan and layer ½ of the apples on top of the batter.  Next cover the apples with the second 1/3 of the batter.  Then cover this batter with the other half of the apples.  Lastly, cover the top layer of apples with the last 1/3 of the batter.  Be sure to cover the top layer of apples completely with batter so that the apples do not burn during baking.

     Place bundt pan in the center of oven and bake for about 1½ hours.  Cake is done if it springs back when the center is lightly pressed with a finger or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

     After the first 20 minutes of baking cover with foil to prevent excessive browning.

     When cake is done, let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes.  Then, loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a sharp knife;  invert the pan onto a rack, remove pan and allow the cake to cool completely on the rack.

    

GLUTEN FREE JEWISH APPLE CAKE CAKE 2 cups Sorghum Flour ½ cup Tapioca Flour ½ cup Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour 2 cups Sugar 1 cup Butter, melted or oil 4 Eggs 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla, Orange or Almond Extract 4 tsp. Baking Powder 2 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum ½ tsp. Salt ½ cup Orange Juice 2 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar APPLE FILLING 6 Apples, medium sized (McIntosh, Stayman Winesap & Fiji apples work well.) 3 Tbs. Sugar 1 tsp. Cinnamon DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10 cup Bundt pan. Position oven rack in center of oven. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. In a bowl place apples, 3 Tbs. sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add 2 cups of sugar and stir. Allow to cool. Add eggs and pure extract of your choice to the butter/sugar mixture in the pan and mix well. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add flours; baking powder; salt; xanthan or guar gum. Stir until well blended. Add the butter, sugar and egg mixture to the flour. Also add the orange juice and mix well. Add the vinegar last and mix in until well blended. For one large layer of apples put ½ the batter in the greased bundt pan. Layer all the apples evenly over the batter and then cover the layer of apples with the rest of the batter. For two thinner layers of apples, put 1/3 the batter in the pan and layer ½ of the apples on top of the batter. Next cover the apples with the second 1/3 of the batter. Then cover this batter with the other half of the apples. Lastly, cover the top layer of apples with the last 1/3 of the batter. Be sure to cover the top layer of apples completely with batter so that the apples do not burn during baking. Place bundt pan in the center of oven and bake for about 1½ hours. Cake is done when it springs back when the center is lightly pressed with a finger or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After the first 20 minutes of baking cover with foil to prevent excessive browning. When cake is done, let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Then, loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a sharp knife; invert the pan onto a rack, remove pan and allow the cake to cool completely on the rack.

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GLUTEN FREE TARTS: GF TEA PARTY PART IV - A SWEET RECIPE

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

GF Tart Shells filled with Lemon Curd and Peach Jam

     This recipe for Tart Shells was from my friend Rita Symczyk.  Rita was the mother of my friend Ray from High School days.  She became a second mother to me over the years and an extra Grandma for my son.  Rita was a great baker and cook.  Her baked goods were the first to go at any bake sale.  She passed away in 1992 and I still miss her.  I have one of her baking tins and put homemade butter cookies in it every Christmas.

     I used to be able to use a tart press to shape the shells in the muffin pan with the regular recipe, but the dough of the gluten free version is too sticky.  With any gluten free pie or pastry dough I’ve made I had to shape the dough into the pan with plastic wrap or my wet fingers.

     The gluten free dough is stickier, but it bakes up just like the regular dough would and tastes great. 

     You can fill the baked tart shells with fruit juice sweetened jams; custards; lemon curd; pudding; whipped cream and berries or anything you would fill a traditional pre-baked tart shell with.  To keep them sugar free use sugar free fillings such as fruit juice sweetened jams ; sugar free jams; or unsweetened or stevia sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit.

     They are best eaten on the day they are baked, as they stay crispier.  However, I have served them a day or two later and not one tart was ever left over.

GLUTEN FREE TARTS

TART SHELLS

Ingredients

½ cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour
½ tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
¼ tsp.	Salt
½ cup (1 stick)	Unsalted Butter - Cold (for Vegan or Dairy Free use an Earth Balance Buttery Stick, and OMIT THE SALT in recipe)
3 oz.	Cream Cheese – Room Temperature (for Vegan or Dairy Free use Dairy Free Cream Cheese)
½ tsp.	Almond Extract (optional)

Directions

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     Spray a 24 count mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

     In a bowl add flours, xanthan gum and salt; mix well.

     With a pasty cutter or two knives cut in butter until all the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are visible.

     If you have a food processor place all the flours, the xanthan gum and salt into the bowl of the processor.  Pulse to mix the dry ingredients.

     Add the Butter and pulse until the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are detectable.  Put mixture into a bowl and follow rest of directions.

     Add Cream Cheese and, if desired, Almond Extract.  Blend into the flour mixture until well mixed.

     With wet hands form into 24 walnut sized balls.

     Place a ball inside a muffin form and with wet hands press the dough so that it evenly covers the bottom and sides of the form.  Repeat for all the dough balls.

     Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.  The shells will be lightly browned.

     Carefully remove each tart shell and cool on a rack.

     Fill with desired filling just before serving so that the shells stay crisp and flaky.

Rita Symczyk and My Son Nate 1989

            

GLUTEN FREE TARTS TART SHELLS Ingredients ½ cup Sorghum Flour ¼ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour ½ tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum ¼ tsp. Salt ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter - Cold (for Vegan or Dairy Free use an Earth Balance Buttery Stick, and OMIT THE SALT in recipe) 3 oz. Cream Cheese – Room Temperature (for Vegan or Dairy Free use Dairy Free Cream Cheese) ½ tsp. Almond Extract (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 24 count mini muffin pan with cooking spray. In a bowl add flours, xanthan gum and salt; mix well. With a pasty cutter or two knives cut in butter until all the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are visible. If you have a food processor place all the flours, the xanthan gum and salt into the bowl of the processor. Pulse to mix the dry ingredients. Add the Butter and pulse until the flour is coated with the butter and no pieces of butter are detectable. Put mixture into a bowl and follow rest of directions. Add Cream Cheese and, if desired, Almond Extract. Blend into the flour mixture until well mixed. With wet hands form into 24 walnut sized balls. Place a ball inside a muffin form and with wet hands press the dough so that it evenly covers the bottom and sides of the form. Repeat for all the dough balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. The shells will be lightly browned. Carefully remove each tart shell and cool on a rack. Fill with desired filling just before serving so that the shells stay crisp and flaky.

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GLUTEN FREE CRUSTLESS ZUCCHINI QUICHES, WITH DAIRY FREE VERSION: GLUTEN FREE TEA PARTY PART III - SAVORY RECIPE

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     This recipe is converted to Gluten Free from one I have used for over twenty years.  My friend’s mother, Josephine Santamaria, used to make this often and served it hot or cold. Josephine, who passed away 6 years ago at age 86, was well known for her delicious cooking and baking. It was originally a recipe from a Bisquick box.  The quiche is always moist and very tasty.  You can add more garlic and onions than it calls for and it only enriches the flavor. It also freezes well, so it can be made ahead, thawed and heated for later use.
     I made the Zucchini Quiche in individual baking cups for the Tea Party.  You can make the whole recipe in a pie pan and serve in slices.  This recipe can be doubled with great results.

ZUCCHINI QUICHE

Ingredients

1	Large Onion, chopped
½ cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava Flour
2 tsp.	Baking Powder
½ tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
¼ tsp. or more To taste	Salt
¼ tsp. or more To taste	Pepper
½ cup	Grated Romano Cheese (for Dairy Free use Vegan Grated Cheese)
½ cup	Olive Oil
4	Eggs
3 cups	Zucchini, grated
3 cloves	Garlic, crushed
1 Tbs. or more To Taste	Fresh Parsley, chopped
½ tsp.	Dried Basil

Directions

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     Grease a pie pan.  For small individual quiches, line a muffin pan with aluminum baking cups sprayed with cooking oil. You can also double the recipe and bake in a greased 9” x 13“ pan.

     Saute onion in 1 Tbs. olive oil until onion is lightly cooked and transparent. Set aside to cool.

     Grate zucchini and set aside.

     In a large bowl add flours, salt, pepper, basil, xanthan or guar gum and baking powder together and mix until well blended.

     Add grated cheese, olive oil, cooked onions, crushed garlic, fresh parsley and eggs. Mix well.

     Add Zucchini and mix in.

     Pour into greased pie pan. For individual quiches fill baking cups 2/3 full.  If you doubled the recipe, pour into greased 9" x 13" pan.         

     Bake both pie and 9” x 13” pans about 1 hour.  Quiche is done when top is lightly browned and the whole pie is puffed up and the center is firm to the touch (cooked and not mushy).  Quiche will get flatter when it cools.

     If baking in individual muffin tins it will take about 25-30 minutes to bake.

     Serve warm or at room temperature. 

     Can be made ahead, wrapped well and frozen for later use.  When ready to use, thaw and/or warm up and serve.

     I love garlic.  My theory is that there is never too much in food, as long as it is not raw garlic. I have at times put double (and even more than double) the amount of garlic in this recipe with good results.  For the Tea Party I restrained myself.  Josephine also loved lots of garlic.  One time she gave me something to eat and was apologizing that there was a lot of garlic in it and I said, "Nothing wrong with that."  She laughed and we shared a conspiratorial look and smile.  

Josephine Santamaria