These gently sweet scones don’t really need a holiday, but they are excellent stand-ins for plain dinner rolls on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table. The dough can be made ahead and ready to bake while your bird is resting. Or bake and serve the scones with leftover turkey later in the week. Scones will have the best texture and rise if the dough rests in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before baking, either as a whole log or sliced.
Corn flour and cranberry scones
Makes twelve 3-inch scones
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups (200 grams) white rice flour (preferably superfine) or 2 cups (200 grams) Thai white rice flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 grams) stone-ground cornmeal
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (any percent fat)
- 1 cup (120 grams) dried cranberries
- About 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, such as turbinado, for the tops of the scones
Equipment:
Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
Method:
1. Combine the rice flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, cream, and yogurt in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes on low speed, or until thoroughly mixed and smooth. It is important to beat the dough enough or the scones won’t rise well; don’t worry about overbeating. Beat in the cranberries.
2. Form the dough into a thick log, 2 inches in diameter, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Cut the log into 12 thick slices. Place the slices 2 inches apart on the lined pan and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the scones are browned on top and bottom. Serve immediately or cool on a rack and toast before serving.
Excerpted from Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich (Artisan Books). Copyright 2014. Photographs by Leigh Beisch.