Scone Time

Scone dough, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Yesterday I got a yearning for a scone with my afternoon coffee. After an extensive search for a recipe that would fit my needs (I was out of milk), I came across Yogurt Scones from Cooking Light.

These fit the bill perfectly; they would be quick and easy to make, used yogurt in place of the milk, and were easy to adapt to my tastebud's needs. The recipe was written to be a savory scone, perfect to use since I didnt want something very sweet anyway. Hanging out with the usual ingredients was 1/2 cup of wheat flour along with the "saving grace" yogurt (and being the proper wife-of-an-Indian, there is always plain yogurt in the house). Although it called for green onions, I know those were easy to replace with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a handful of dark chocolate chips.

The dough was a bit sticky and not the easiest to work with, but I persevered and won the battle, working it into its 8-inch round disk. I used my pizza cutter to score it into 12 triangles before sliding it into the oven.

After letting it cool on a rack for a bit, I slid it onto a cutting board and finished the slicing process. The scone was only slightly sweet (a plus in our house) with a hint of cinnamon tang and an occasional surprise burst of chocolate. Perfect with an afternoon french roast, and even better later with wine for dessert!

Yogurt Scones (Adapted from Cooking Light)

6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
2.375 ounces whole wheat flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (as written - I took out and added cinnamon and chocolate chips0
3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 425°.

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in onions. Combine yogurt and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut dough into 12 wedges, cutting into but not through dough. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2009