Penny Thorne is one of the most talented people I know. Her Pawcatuck, Conn., bakery—Black Dahlia Baking Company—is incredibly popular. She could probably coast on the quality of her regular baked goodies, but she is well known for accommodating the needs of her customers who have particular dietary needs.
I asked her for a recipe to help usher in St. Patrick’s Week, and these Irish Soda Scones are what she came up with. They can be made with regular flour, but with a minor adjustment they can be gluten-free instead. With yet another minor adjustment or two, they can be dairy-free, as well.
I have celiac, which means wheat flour is a no-no, so good egg that she is—lame bakery joke—she whipped up some gluten-free Irish Soda Scones and shipped them out to me here in Philadelphia. They were extraordinarily tasty. Slathered with a bit of butter? Pure heaven for this Irish-American boy. If you didn’t know they were gluten-free, you’d swear they were made with regular wheat flour.
Here’s what Penny had to say about them: