BLACKBERRY CREAM SCONES

In a large bowl, combine the sweet rice, millet and oat flours with the ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the butter is broken down into the size of small peas. Chill this mixture until cold, 15–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the 6 tablespoons (90 ml) cream, egg and vanilla in a measuring pitcher. Chill until needed.

Remove the flour mixture from the refrigerator. Gradually add the cream mixture, working with a flexible silicone spatula until the dough holds together when you give it a squeeze; you may need to add 1–6 tablespoons (15–90 ml) of cream to properly hydrate the dough and the amount will vary depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen and how much you’ve worked in your butter. Knead the dough 20 or so times in the bowl to bring it together in a ball; unlike wheat scones, these gluten-free scones require more kneading to bring the dough together, so don’t be shy. Cover and chill the dough for 15 minutes or up to several hours.

While the dough chills, rinse, dry and slice the berries in half, and set aside until needed.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a surface dusted lightly with oat flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions (they will weigh about 10 ounces [285 g] each) and flatten each into a 6-inch (15-cm) diameter round a scant ½-inch (1.3-cm) thick. Place the berries atop one of the rounds in an even layer, leaving a ½-inch (1.3-cm) border. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon cane sugar and top with the second dough round. Squish the edges together to seal and smooth into an even round.

Wrap the scone in plastic wrap and chill until firm, 30 minutes or up to overnight.

When ready to bake, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Stack a rimmed baking sheet atop a second rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment paper (this will keep the bottoms from over-browning).

Remove the scone from the refrigerator, unwrap and place on a cutting board. Brush the scone with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cream and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon (10 g) coarse sugar. Use a large, sharp chef’s knife to cut the scone into 8 wedges and place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet, spaced well apart.

Bake the scones until golden on top and cooked through, 20–30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool until warm, 20 minutes; they are still baking from residual heat. The scones are best the day of baking but will keep, airtight at room temperature, for a day or two.