Flourless, Creamy Buttermilk Scones
Craving a sweet, flaky treat without gluten? These mouth-watering buttermilk biscuits, crafted with a wheat-free spin, are just the ticket. Keep a keen eye on the dough - gluten-free or not, overworking it will lead to a dense and heavy outcome. Dig in with our delicious biscuits and gravy recipe!
Shopping List:- Stock up on tapioca flour, or cassava flour, an alternative made from the cassava plant root, often used as a thickener.- Grab sorghum flour, derived from the sorghum grain, with a texture akin to whole-wheat pastry flour.- Guar gum seeds' extract, used in small quantities as a thickener and stabilizer.
Gadgets: You'll need a 2-inch round biscuit cutter and a pastry brush to pull off this recipe.
These biscuits graced our gluten-free photo gallery.
- Servings: 8 (2-inch) biscuits
- Ease: Easy peasy
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Active Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (11)
- Butter, unsalted - 1 tablespoon, melted, for coating the pan and brushing on the biscuits
- Cornstarch - 1 cup
- Tapioca flour - 1/2 cup (plus extra for dusting the work surface)
- Sorghum flour - 1/4 cup
- Baking powder - 1 tablespoon
- Guar gum - 1 teaspoon
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
- Cold unsalted butter - 3 tablespoons, large dice
- Cold vegetable shortening - 3 tablespoons, large dice
- Buttermilk - 1 cup
- Salted butter, agave syrup, or fruit preserves - for serving
Instructions
- Crank up the oven to 425°F and set a rack in the middle. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with half of the melted butter and save the rest for the biscuits later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, baking powder, guar gum, and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the cold butter and vegetable shortening into the dry ingredients until they are pea-size. Add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula just until a dough ball forms.
- Transfer the dough onto a work surface dusted with tapioca flour. Knead only as needed to smooth it out (no overworking here). Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk about 6 inches in diameter.
- Using a 2-inch round cutter dipped in tapioca flour to prevent sticking, cut out dough rounds until you have 8. Form the scraps into another 1-inch-thick disk and continue cutting dough rounds, discarding the remaining scraps. Arrange the biscuits in a circle in the prepared pan, with about 1/4 inch between each one (the center will be empty). Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.
- Pop the biscuits in the oven until they're golden brown, around 20 to 25 minutes. Let 'em cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve these bad boys warm with a dollop of butter, agave syrup, or preserves.
Insights:
When prepping gluten-free buttermilk biscuits, harness the power of different flours to replicate the texture and taste of traditional biscuits. Mix tapioca flour, sorghum flour, and guar gum to achieve that light and fluffy consistency you crave. To foster an even softer texture, consider adding a bit of xanthan gum if you find the dough too crumbly. Happy baking!
- To ensure a light and fluffy texture similar to traditional biscuits, the buttermilk biscuits in our gluten-free photo gallery are crafted using a combination of tapioca flour, sorghum flour, and guar gum.
- Before beginning the instructions, remember to dust the work surface with extra tapioca flour to prevent the dough from sticking while kneading.
- The pastry instructions call for a tablespoon of melted unsalted butter to be used for coating the pan and brushing on the biscuits, ensuring a delightful flavor that complements the gluten-free ingredients.
