Oat Cranberry Scone - Gluten Free Dairy Free

It was an inspired moment...

...I wanted to bake something, I wasn't sure what but something different from what I had been baking...and then it started flowing...a little bit of this and a little bit of that...voilà! my original scone recipe was born! Crusty on the outside, moist on the inside...mmmm...I fell in love instantly.

What's not to love about it...it's gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, no preservatives, home-baked with love...all natural, so fresh and so tasty!

I like to keep my diet clean, so I do not consume any processed food or buy ready-made meals or cakes or biscuits, which means I have to constantly create recipes for myself. It's fun! I know exactly what goes into my food...I make with love, I eat with love...after all, our bodies are made of the food we consume and I love to love my body. It's part of my self-love ritual. It's a simple equation for well-being...clean food, clean thoughts, clean habits...a recipe for a powerful immune system, a happy body and a happy life...my simple philosophy. I like to keep things simple, wholesome, natural and meaningful.

So, let's get on with the recipe...

Here's a list of what goes into them:

1. Gluten-free ground oats - 2 cups

2. Self-raising gluten-free flour - 1/2 cup

3. Tapioca Starch - 1/2 cup

4. Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tsp (heaped)

5. Baking powder - 1 tsp

6. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

7. Himalayan pink salt - a smidge

8. Raw cane sugar - 1 tsp

9. Olive oil - 2 Tbsp

10. Lemon - 1 large (juice + zest)

11. 1 Egg

12. Almond milk - 1 and 1/2 cups

13. Dried cranberries - a generous handful

Makes: 4 big scones Preparation time: 10 mins Bake Time: 30 mins

Here's how I do it:

I prefer to make my own ground oats rather than buying factory-produced oat flour, I feel it has better fibre for our gut and texture for baking. It's so easy to make...all you have to do is, buy some rolled oats, put them in your blender and give it a whirl...that's it! Your ground oats are ready.

Now, add the ingredients up to number 9 from the list above. Finely grate the lemon zest into the mix. Juice the lemon and keep it aside for making the buttermilk.

Next, separate the egg white and the yolk. The yolk can go straight into the flour mix. Whisk the white so that it's nice and stiff. This helps in raising the scone. Keep it aside.

To make your own dairy-free buttermilk, bring the almond milk to a boil, then, add the lemon juice. Simmer for another 3 mins while stirring gently...and that's it, your buttermilk is ready. Pour it into the flour mix and work them in well.

Throw in the cranberries, add the egg white, gently fold in all the ingredients, you are now ready to pour and bake.

Oil your moulds and pour. I use tart tins measuring 4 inches (10 cm) so they make rather large scones, but if you use smaller moulds you could double the number of scones.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. When the time is up, pull them out of the oven, tap the bottom of a scone, if it sounds hollow, it is ready. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Enjoy it warm. I love it with a dollop of vegan butter...ummm so delicious!

I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know if you try it out. Big love 💖

Note: You can replace the raw cane sugar with any natural sweetener of your choice. You could also use sea salt instead of pink Himalayan salt if that's what you have in your cupboard. For a vegan option, you can make it without the egg. I have tried that too. Just loses a little fluffiness but works just as well and equally tasty.