Gluten-free Maple Walnut Scones

Maine Maple Sunday was a couple of weeks ago: http://www.mainemapleproducers.com/maine-maple-sunday-map.html . Farms in Maine organize to host season-opening pancake breakfasts to celebrate the arrival of spring. Happily 2013 appears to be a fairly productive one. Gus’s Gluten Free kitchen is pretty well known for scones; one the most requested is our Maple Walnut recipe. Because it calls for toasted walnut flour and maple sugar I’m always struck by the aroma of the dough even before the scones go in the oven. If you want to boost the maple flavor add add a little maple extract. Make certain it’s gluten free (many are colored with barley extract). The following is a link to one company that sells GF extracts: http://cooksvanilla.com/category/31/Gluten-Free.html .

Maple Walnut Scones

CLICK HERE TO PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup (6 oz.) gluten free flour mix (yours, ours, or Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup (1 oz.) toasted walnuts ground into flour (do this in a coffee mill using 1 tablespoon of GF flour from your measure above. This will help prevent the walnuts from becoming “butter.”

2 Tablespoons maple sugar (available at most markets and natural food stores)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 egg

1/3 – 1/2 cup heavy cream, or enough to measure 5/8 cup (5 oz.)when added to the egg

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon GF maple extract

1/2 cup (2.5 oz.) chopped walnuts (in addition to the ounce above)

Optional: scant 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate (or chips – Hershey’s work best)

Directions:

Set the oven to 400 F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Toast 1 ounce chopped walnuts in the oven set to 300 F for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

2. Measure the dry ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of flour to use when making the walnut “flour”. Add the walnuts and white chocolate bits.

3. Crack the egg into a 1 cup glass measure. Add enough heavy cream to measure 5/8 cup. Whisk lightly with a fork. (This is when you’d add 1/2 teaspoon of maple extract if using.)

4. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir to blend; the dough will be stiff. If it’s too dry to come together add another tablespoon of cream.

5. Knead 2-3 times on a GF floured surface and form into a 1″ thick disk. Cut into eight wedges and transfer to a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Maple Icing (optional, but decadent!)

Ingredients:

1/8 cup heavy cream

1/8 cup pure maple syrup

pinch salt

1/4 cup (1 oz.) powdered sugar

Directions:

While the scones are in the oven:

1. Combine the cream, syrup and salt in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by almost half. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

2. Whisk the powdered sugar into the cream-syrup mixture, taking care to smooth out lumps. When the scones have cooled a bit, spoon the lukewarm icing into a baggie, cut a tip off a bottom corner and pipe the icing onto the scones.

Enjoy these special scones!