Recipe: Gluten-Free Blackberry & Chocolate Chunk Scones

June 23, 2021

Did you know that blackberry is one of the primary tasting notes of chocolate from Ecuadorian Nacional cacao beans like ours? That’s just part of why the bright, summery tartness of whole blackberries perfectly complements our luscious, deeply fruity 77% chocolate chunks in this recipe for delectably soft gluten-free scones. With the further richness of local butter and cream from our friends over at Calder Dairy, this is a deliciously balanced treat perfect for a relaxing tea party, picnic, or any summer gathering that needs a bit more memorable flair.

This recipe uses simple ingredients, requires a little patience, and takes a gentle touch for the best end result. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of all-purpose flour if you're not gluten-free!

Ingredients

3 cups one-to-one gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into cubes
1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream + extra 2 tablespoons for brushing tops
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup raw sugar or panela
1 cup whole blackberries
1 cup Mindo Chocolate Makers' 77% chocolate baking chunks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

2. Whisk together gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

3. Add the cold butter cubes, and toss them in the flour while breaking them up into pea-sized pieces using your hands, a pastry cutter, or a fork.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream and egg together. Add this to the flour and butter and very gently fold a few times.

5. Before all of your wet ingredients are incorporated, add the whole blackberries and 77% Chocolate chunks.

Start using your hands at this point and gently pull the mixture from the bottom and stack on top of itself to carefully fold the ingredients in. Do this a few times until the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated. You DO NOT want to overmix this dough, as it can become tough and gummy.

6. Transfer dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently form into a long rectangular shape. Transfer to a refrigerator for 45 minutes or the freezer for 25 minutes. This step is very important to ensure delicate, moist scones.

7. Remove from the refrigerator or freezer and cut into 12 triangular pieces, slicing on an angle as pictured. Transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets, with six evenly-spaced scones on each tray. Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream and sprinkle with a generous amount of coarse sugar or panela.

8. Transfer to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until they are slightly brown on the top, golden brown on the bottom, and easy to lift from the baking sheet.

9. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee.