There are two types of mother according to talk-back radio, or so my husband tells me. There are those whose children are all grown up, who long to spend quality time with their offspring again, or re-live cherished memories of days long gone. Then there are those still in the early throes of parenthood, where quality time and memories are no-less cherished but still intense and ongoing. These are those whose wish list for Mother’s Day includes a sleep-in, being able to pee in private, and some alone time. I am one of the latter.
So, it was with much jubilation that I sent my boys off on a camping trip – just father and son. I got some me-time and they got to have an adventure. Immediately, I set out to blog a recipe I’d had on my mind for a while. It was the third time I’d made it, the second time I’d attempted to make it for the blog (with pretty pictures). But for the second time, it failed. Totally jinxed. Undeterred, I eyed off the strawberries I’d bought especially that morning. I’d been wanting to make gluten-free and vegan scones for a while, so why not now?
Without further ado, I gathered the ingredients. I had everything I needed, including sunlight for photographs. Scones are easy, and these were cute. They worked! What a relief. The key to successful scones is to work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. Sifting the flours is important, as is adding the liquid all at once. Mix dough gently and then once on the bench top, gather and pat into a disk (kneading optional) and cut into rounds. Small and sweet, these are the perfect treat on Mother’s Day, with company or without.
Baby Strawberry Scones {vegan, gf}
The cutest little scones, bright and cheery, studded with sweet, red fruit.
Makes 18 mini scones
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups plain (all-purpose) gluten-free flour *
½ cup almond meal (almond flour)
1 tablespoon golden flax seed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
55 g (4 tablespoons) cold vegan margarine or butter, chopped
¼ cup sugar (optional)
½ cup chopped strawberries
finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup non-dairy buttermilk **
Gluten-free flour, extra for bench top
Buttermilk, extra for brushing tops of scones before baking
Raw sugar, for sprinkling on top of scones before baking
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius/440°F. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper (parchment).
Sift together flour, almond meal, flax seed meal, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gently stir in the sugar (if using), strawberries and lemon zest. Make a well, add vanilla to buttermilk and add wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients, stirring until well blended. The dough should be quite thick and a little sticky.
Liberally coat bench top with extra flour and dump scone dough onto it. Gently gather and knead the dough into a large disk, about 2 ½ cm (1-inch) thick. Using a 4.5 cm (1.7-inch) scone cutter, cut out rounds and place close together on prepared baking tray. Lightly brush milk or butter milk on top of the scones and sprinkle with raw (demerara) sugar if desired.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Scones are best the day they’re made, though they can be frozen and lightly reheated in the oven if you need a future treat.
Notes
Adapted from Isle of Flora and Joy the Baker
*Use a good-quality brand, such as Orgran, OR create your own mix: (6pts Superfine Brown Rice Flour + 2 parts Potato Starch + 1 part Tapioca Starch)
**To make your own buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons cider vinegar to 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (preferably soy), and set aside to curdle, about 10 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #redhotcentre!
Gorgeous photos. Wonderful how you included good sized chunks of strawberries, they must taste sublime. I am picturing you the gatherer of sunlight. Could you gather some for me today??
Hanne, you are so poetic! I can do that for you! 😉
Oh and I am one of the latter moms, both my kids are living outside of the country right now. I remember those days when I longed to finish a cup of coffee whilst still hot.
Each phase is special in its own way… cold coffee or hot! 😉