Light Cheddar Scones Use Traditional Biscuit Base

From the IN FOOD section, June 25, 1997, page D3: CORRECTION In last week’s recipe for Light Cheddar and Green Onion Scones, the green onions were inadvertently omitted. One-third cup of sliced green onions should be added along with the cheese. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The golden, oversized scones featured these days in trendy coffee shops and latte houses are a far cry from the biscuits of their Scottish ancestors.

Traditional Scottish scones were small, triangular quick breads made from an oat batter. They were best when dipped into soups and stews.

American scones are extra buttery and can be flavored with any ingredient from chocolate chips to cheese. Delicious though these giants may be, they are usually high in fat.

The original recipe for Savory Cheddar and Green Onion Scones was easy to streamline by returning to the traditional base of the scone, which is more similar to a biscuit than a shortbread.

In one regard, however, the revised recipe is quite different: It is made with olive oil instead of butter. In baking, you can often substitute liquid oil for butter or margarine, if you reduce the quantity by one-third.

Other changes included cutting back on medium-sharp cheese and substituting sharp Cheddar and Parmesan to boost the flavor. The new recipe also uses egg whites and skim milk in place of the whole eggs and whole milk.

The revised recipe sheds 54 calories and 5.7 grams of fat per scone, without sacrificing flavor.

Light Cheddar and Green Onion Scones

1-1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 to 1/2 cup skim milk

2 egg whites

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with lightly floured parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, marjoram, mustard powder, salt and turmeric, if using (the turmeric adds a pleasant golden color but not much flavor.) Stir in the olive oil and the cheeses.

In a mixing cup, stir together 1/3 cup of the skim milk and the egg whites. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the milk mixture in and combine to make a soft dough. Do not overmix. If dough is too dry to stick together, add remaining milk.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Pat into a block 12 inches long, 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Cut dough crosswise into 4 pieces, then cut each piece diagonally in half to make a total of 8 triangles.

Place scones 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information per scone: 152 calories, 4.7 grams fat (28 percent fat calories), 7 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams cholesterol, 306 milligrams sodium.