A classic reinvented: currant scones

Scones are a smart way to celebrate a quiet weekend morning. Nothing more than gussied-up biscuits, scones are easy to make, and a plate of them offers the perfect excuse to sit, chat and relax.




Guests are sure to be touched that you went to the trouble to bake a batch from scratch, but they may weep with joy when you let it slip that these mini currant scones contain less butter and substitute fat-free half-and-half for heavy whipping cream. For comparison's sake, the classic cream scones in "The Joy of Cooking" call for 8 tablespoons of butter, an amount that we whittle down to 3 tablespoons. And using fat-free half-and-half saves 40 calories and 5 grams of fat per tablespoon.



To resist overeating, modern wisdom says to keep portion sizes petite. We doubt anyone will notice you used a 2-inch biscuit cutter rather than the standard 2 1/2 -inch cutter.



And the end results?



A tender, flaky scone, of course.



Tips: Look for currants in the dried fruit aisle of your supermarket. Use remaining currants in place of raisins or dried fruit in other baked goods.



Mini currant scones



Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Makes: 16 scones



Note: Look for parchment paper in the baking aisle. Pastry blenders and silicone pastry brushes are available in specialty stores.



Ingredients:

2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powde

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup currants

¾ cup fat-free half-and-half

1 egg white, slightly beaten



1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add currants; toss gently. Add half-and-half, stirring just until moistened. Mixture will appear slightly crumbly. Use hands to form a solid ball of dough; knead 4 or 5 times on a floured surface.



2. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut scones with a 2-inch round cutter; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush egg white over tops . Sprinkle lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.



Nutrition information

Per scone: 106 calories, 19% of calories from fat, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 198 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.