Product Review: Bake Me Happy Blueberry, Goat Cheese & Basil Take & Bake Scones

Product: Bake Me Happy Blueberry, Goat Cheese & Basil Take & Bake Scones – $10/box

Scones.  To quote the minds behind Thug Kitchen, “Scones are the bastard blend of a biscuit and muffin. They sound so wrong but taste so right.”  HAHA!

YES!

I have a deep, passionate, never-ending love for scones.  No joke.  They were one of the first things I ate when I went to Europe…Ireland, to be exact, and I’ve been in love with them ever since.  I’ve attempted to make gluten-free versions of scones in my own kitchen, but nothing has ever quite lived up to the crumbly, golden, amazing food profile of a scone.

Until…Bake Me Happy stepped up to the plate…and hit a home run…all the way over the center field wall.  It’s true.

Bake Me Happy was started by the lovely Wendy and Letha, committing themselves to making each and every bite that you have from their products the most decadent thing you’ve had since sliced bread.  Sliced bread, however, is not on their menu.  After being self-diagnosed with gluten intolerance in 2006, Wendy immediately felt relieve from a life of digestive issues.  The only problem was…the gluten-free food choices available lacked flavor and texture, seriously limiting what she would be willing to consume (and who can blame her!?).  After many years of self-study, she decided to take the plunge and signed up for an immersion course at the Culinary Institute of America, experimenting with recipes and trying them out on unsuspecting friends.  Soon, both friends and family began requesting her treats for parties, and none of them were gluten intolerant.  From there, Wendy expanded and began offering her products to the public.  And from the huge response she got from her goodies…Bake Me Happy, the bakery, was born.  And because Wendy understands what it is like to have a food intolerance , you can guarantee that she takes great care and pride in the products that she puts out for the public.  Not only does she understand the importance of what she does, she also knows that a perfect recipe cannot be rushed and that the best things in life are worth waiting for.

Perfection is key, and perfection is what they managed with their scones.  The scones at Bake Me Happy are available to purchase already cooked and ready to eat…or in their Take & Bake versions.  When I was up in Columbus, Ohio over Halloween, we dropped into the bakery and purchased one scone to devour on the go…and then my roommate promised I could select a Take & Bake variety to bring home.  At the bakery, I chose the Almond, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Scone to devour on the way home.  So, that being said, my roomie (who was paying) decided that she would choose the Take & Bake version…and as there was only one other vegetarian one…she lunged at the opportunity to try the Blueberry, Basil & Goat Cheese scones.  Besides, she’s a happy girl whenever goat cheese is involved.  Note…the Take & Bake Scones do contain butter, sour cream and 3 of the 4 flavors contain cheese.  All of them contain egg.  So…not vegan.

I am not (completely) vegan as of yet.  Maybe one day.  That being said, I do still eat eggs and use eggs in my own baking at home.  I am, however, lactose intolerant, so I had to be sure to take something prior to consuming this delectable treat.

Let me start off by saying, I actually ate these before the holidays.  Life has been insanely busy with me starting physical therapy again and…in general…the holiday madness that happens from Thanksgiving through the New Year.  So, yeah, I am a bit delayed on getting this review up.  But good things come to those who wait…

And I can’t say enough good things about these amazing scones.  The Bake Me Happy Blueberry, Goat Cheese & Basil Scones are fantastic.  I mean, they are just as good as the scones that hooked me on eating scones when I went overseas.  And the Take & Bake versions are just as amazing as the ones they have ready at the bakery.  And it’s not hard either.

Simply thaw the scones in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, or at room temperature for an hour.  Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Place the desired number of scones on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until baked through and golden brown on top.  Allow to cool and enjoy!  Yep…that easy.  And they really are that easy to bake too.  Mine came out of the oven smelling like blueberry heaven and all golden and crispy on the outside.  I was impressed.  It is SO rare that gluten-free baked goods get that amazing golden color.  This was a nice treat.

Even more of a treat was what I discovered when I took a bite.  The Bake Me Happy team made sure each scone (there are 5 per box) was loaded with plump blueberries, creamy goat cheese, and fresh basil.  Each bite was a little savory and a little sweet.  Each scone was crispy and golden on the outside and light and flaky on the inside.  No gluten-free scone I have had before this or attempted to make myself has been anything like this.  I was blown away.  The sweetness of the berries paired amazingly well with the tangy goat cheese and the herby flavor of the basil.  It was a flavor explosion in each bite…and I kept wanting to take more and more bites.  And soon…my scones were gone.  Not all in one sitting, but within 3 days.  HA!  Then I wish I had shelled out some money for more.  I mean…HELLO!!  It doesn’t get much better than this.

No other scone will ever come close to living up to the standard Bake Me Happy has set.  I can pretty much guarantee that.

So, let’s talk about the ingredients that Bake Me Happy put into their Blueberry, Goat Cheese & Basil Take & Bake Scones, shall we?  These delicious pastry hybrids are made with Bake Me Happy’s top-secret flour blend (sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, cornstarch, white rice flour), butter (sweet cream, natural flavoring), sour cream, blueberries (blueberries, sugar, sunflower oil), goat cheese (pasteurized goat milk, culture, vegetable rennet, salt), sugar, egg, basil, baking powder (cornstarch, bicarbonate of soda, sodium aluminum sulfate, monocalcium phosphate), xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda.  These scones are completely gluten-free.

As for nutrition goes, well, butter, cheese, and sour cream are involved.  You do the math!  That being said, I have scones as a treat…like Sunday breakfast or something.  Or…post-workout (you think I’m kidding, but I’m not).  The Bake Me Happy Blueberry, Goat Cheese & Basil Take & Bake Scones serving size is one (1) scone and there are five (5) scones per box.  One scone will fill you up with 390 calories, 20 grams fat, 12 grams saturated fat, 0.5 grams trans fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 48 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 14 grams sugars, and 6 grams of protein.  They are hockey-puck sized and…seriously…worth the calorie overload for breakfast every now and again.  Trust me, I love to eat fresh and clean…but sometimes, you just need to have a treat.

This is one of my new favorite treats.

So, ladies of Bake Me Happy…I love you.  I love your scones.  I can’t wait to come back and buy out half your bakery again.  Because…that’s what I do.  That’s how I work.  And with scones waiting for me to take and bake…well…it should be sooner rather than later.

Brilliantly done Bake Me Happy.  You definitely have baked up one happy customer here!