The Good Scone: Review and Giveaway!

I'll admit that being a gluten free blogger has its perks. Meeting fellow celiacs from all around the world. Spreading awareness of gluten free college living. Oh, and receiving an email from a small company called, The Good Scone.

(Spoiler alert folks: when you get an email from a business that specializes in gluten free and vegan baking mixes, you will jump up and down before replying that you'd love to review their products.)

Our sponsors!

Ironically enough, the Good Scone is right up my alley in more ways than one. First, they are located in Point Loma, where I go to college. Secondly (and most importantly to my taste buds), they produce three (so far!) gluten free and vegan baking mixes: an All Purpose Flour, a Chocolate Cake Mix, and a Vanilla Cake Mix.

As soon as The Good Scone's box of products arrived on my doorstep, I tore into their All Purpose mix. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've developed a new love for the galette, a French pastry that can be give a savory or sweet twist. As a last hurrah to summer baking, my mom and I whipped uptwo galettes with some help from The Good Scone.

Just a bit galette action!

Though I needed to add a few more tablespoons of water than the recipe called for, the flour eventually formed a supple, spiced dough perfect for (messily) folding over filling. In the savory version, we added thyme and oregano; in the sweet, cinnamon and vanilla. Compared to the King Arthur baking mix I used before, the galettes' crusts browned beautifully without any egg wash or added oil.

And the taste? In both the chicken pot pie and the strawberry, pear, banana galettes, the crust was the star. Light, but with a crunch. Crumbly, but still hardy enough to withstand the toppings. Needless to say, neither the dinner nor dessert lasted long!

Our delicious completed products...

My second taste test emerged only a week later, thanks to my 20th birthday. Picking the chocolate mix thanks to its decaf coffee flavoring, I gave The Good Scone the ultimate mission: pleasing gluten-loving college students!

My favorite part of the cake mix was definitely the ease of baking it! Following the instructions for a gluten free and vegan cake (or cupcakes, in my case), I only had to add vinegar and dairy free milk and "butter" to the flour mix. A few quick stirs, several messy pours into cupcake tins, and fifteen minutes in the oven later? My dorm apartment smelled amazing and I had two trays of big chocolate cupcakes, and one tray of minis.

In five clean steps!

The cake mixes don't come with frosting included, so I ended up making my own homemade chocolate topping. Following this recipe, I threw melted chocolate, ripe avocado, agave nectar, and spices in my blender, prayed to the dessert Gods, and nearly licked my Vitamix clean of the leftover fudgy frosting!

Hannah, one of my roommates, volunteered as first taste tester. Even knowing it was allergen-friendly, she devoured the whole cupcake and was glad to hear I had plenty more.

The first (chocolate) sufferer!

Like most gluten free baked goods, the cupcakes turned out denser and more chewy. However, everyone loved how the cakes were crumbly on the edges and moist in the center. Plus, you can never go wrong with with a coffee-chocolate combo!

Even the mini cupcakes, which didn't have frosting, disappeared quickly. After many (obviously required) taste tests, my roomies and I agreed they mimicked bite sized brownies. While I devoured quite a few of these as desserts, I also crumbed them on my smoothie bowls and yogurt parfaits.

Chocolate heaven!

I have yet to try the Vanilla Cake Mix, but plan on experimenting with some gluten free and vegan cookies (probably with chocolate chips, knowing my chocoholic self). Considering how quickly the other The Good Scone goodies were devoured, I'm sure this mix will be just as delicious.

The extra exciting part of being a blogger? Thanks to the generosity of The Good Scone, one lucky reader will get a chance to taste all three baking mixes for themselves! The options on how to use them are truly endless - besides the goodies I whipped up (the recipe I used for the galette is linked in my Foodie Favorites post), The Good Scone website also provides recipes for scones (of course!) biscuits, banana bread, crepes, muffins, pie, pizzas and more!