Preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/Gas 9. Yes, this is a hot temperature, but it's essential for getting the scones to bake quickly and achieve that beautiful golden-brown top. Make sure your oven rack is positioned in the center for even heat distribution.

Sift all the dry ingredients (rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt) into a large bowl. Yes, sift them. This important step incorporates air and helps everything combine evenly. After sifting, mix them together well to ensure the baking powder and xanthan gum are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.

Add the cold butter pieces to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. This step is crucial because those little butter pieces create the light, tender texture when baking. Take your time and work gently to avoid warming the butter.

Add the sultanas and gently mix them through the dry ingredients. Make sure they're evenly distributed throughout so each scone will have a good distribution of dried fruit. This ensures consistent flavor and texture in every bite.

Lightly whisk the eggs and natural yoghurt together in a separate bowl. You want them combined but not overly frothy. This wet mixture will bring all your dry ingredients together and add moisture and richness to your scones.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg and yoghurt mixture to the well. Mix gently to form a soft dough, adding a little more natural yoghurt if necessary. You want a soft dough that's moist but not sticky. Start with the 125ml of yoghurt and add more gradually if your dough is too dry.

Turn the dough onto a rice-floured board and knead it lightly, just enough to shape it into a round. You're not trying to develop gluten (there isn't any), but simply bringing the dough together. Keep your touch gentle and avoid overworking the dough.

Roll out the dough to about 2.5cm/1 inch thick using a rolling pin. Aim for consistent thickness across the entire surface so the scones bake evenly. Take your time with this step to ensure all scones are the same height for uniform baking.

Using a 5.5cm/2¼ inch cutter, cut out rounds from the rolled dough. Don't twist the cutter, as this seals the edges and prevents rising. Instead, press straight down and pull straight up to keep the edges open for proper expansion during baking.

Place the cut scones on a rice-floured baking sheet, leaving space between them so they don't bake together and merge. Proper spacing ensures each scone can rise independently and develop a nice shape with a crispy exterior.

Brush each scone with a little beaten egg wash. This creates that pretty golden-brown color when baking and adds a shiny, professional appearance to your finished scones. Use a pastry brush and apply the egg wash gently to avoid deflating the dough.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown on top. Gluten-free scones bake faster than regular scones, so watch them carefully. You're looking for golden brown, not dark brown, which indicates they're perfectly done.

Leave the baked scones to cool on a wire rack. Serve them split in half with butter and jam while still slightly warm for the best flavor and texture. The warm scones will absorb the butter beautifully and the jam will complement the tender crumb perfectly.