I Am My Own Worst Enemy: Gluten-Free Brownies

Saco Chef: is that a devilish grin?

**Warning: these brownies are really easy to make. And really good.
Brownies have been a special treat at our house. We tend to save them for moments that are worth spending the money on a Bob's Red Mill Brownie Mix because these have been our favorite GF brownies.
One day I noticed the recipe on the Saco Premium Cocoa box and decided to try adapting it. The bad news for me: they came out excellent. And unlike some brownies, only take 25 minutes to bake. And don't require chocolate chips. The bottom line: I can have hot, chewy, gluten-free brownies in about 40 minutes. Now, so can you. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup SACO premium Cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rice flour (all-purpose flour for you wheaties)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8x2-inch pan.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine (or in the microwave in a one-quart container).
Removed melted butter from heat, ,add cocoa, and stir until well-blended.
Add sugar and mix well.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.
Stir in vanilla, flour, and salt. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Fold in nuts, if using.
Spread in prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

would you like some delicious (gluten-free) scones?

image from time inc. this recipe makes scones that look very much like this.

One of my favorite cookbooks ever is the Joy of Cooking*. I haven't branched out to other encyclopedic cookbooks yet because I'm still learning so much from this one. It seems like if you want to cook anything, you will find it listed in the vast index. I was amazed to find that the Joy even includes three gluten-free baking recipes: pizza dough, pie crust, and scones. These are not the deep-fried scones you'd buy at a drive-thru in Utah; they are the refined pastries of tea time in Mother England. They are not flaky like they're traditional counterpart, but they are as light as any gluten-free pastry we've tasted yet.
The procedure for making gluten-free scones seems quite different from making traditional scones, but I imagine filling and topping can be done the same way. These scones take some time but are relatively easy--especially worth it once you taste the results.
This recipe makes about 14 scones.

Gluten-free Raisin Drop Scones
1 cup raisins, dried currants, or dried cherries
1/4 freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup buttermilk (a quick substitution: 1 Tablespoon white vinegar+enough milk to make one cup. let sit for five minutes before using)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon sugar per scone, for dusting
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Combine the raisins, orange juice, and zest in a small bowl and let stand at least 30 minutes.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a heavy-duty mixer bowl until combined.
Add butter 1 Tablespoon at a time while mixing dry ingredients on low speed.
Mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You may also turn off your mixer and use a pastry cutter or even your hands until you get the right consistency.
Add the buttermilk, 1 egg, and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
Add the raisin mixture and mix on low for 30 seconds.
Preheat the oven to 425. Line an insulated or heavy cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat with vegetable oil spray.
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the batter on to the cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Whisk together 1 egg and water and brush over the tops of the scones.
Sprinkle each scone with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, or even a little more (the dough has very little sugar so don't worry about making these too sweet).
Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes.
Remove to a rack to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving suggestion: Top each scone with quick white icing or cream cheese frosting as they cool.
Cooled scones can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days (if they last that long) or in the freezer up to 3 months.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Great on anything you'd frost, from sugar cookies to carrot cake.
8 ounces cold cream cheese
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla
up to 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a food processor or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar to start, then 1/4 or 1/2 cup at a time as desired, tasting as you go. Be careful not to over mix or over process.
Makes about 2 cups.
*My Joy is from 1997--I am not sure if the newer edition includes gluten-free recipes.