Monday 3 March 2014

Skinny Chocolate Chip Scones


Mornings are hard. I try and go to bed early, but either I'm up late watching some stupid show on Netflix with hubby OR I try and sleep, but my crazy brain won't allow it and so it takes me FOREVER to get up in the morning. Luckily, I have an amazing husband who gets up with the dogs at 6am and makes us coffee. However, Friday morning, I was up at 5:30am when I heard Molly come into the room, take something from the garbage and then skulk out of the room. 

When this happens there are 2 typical results: A mess will be made AND/OR she's gotten into something that will make her sick. Jon was still fast asleep, so I got up, took the paper towel away from her (ALWAYS with the paper towel) and decided to just stay up. I had these Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones on my roster for the week anyway, so I decided to whip up a batch.

I had to make a couple changes. I had no buttermilk, so I used 1/2 cup of light (5%) table cream and 1/4 cup of 2% milk. Also, I'm going to tell you about a trick I learned from Chef Michael Smith on how to "cut in" butter that is SOOOO much easier than cutting it in with knives (details in the recipe below). 

AMAZING. I will honestly make these forever and ever. There is just enough flavour to make them decadent, but not enough calories to make you feel guilty. You can eat these for breakfast in the morning and feel full until lunch. Oh, and they are SOOOO light and fluffy. Simply delicious. 

Also, turns out, there are some bonuses to getting up & baking that early in the morning - you get to enjoy them when they're nice and fresh, AND I can photograph them right away. They almost got snatched up though by a certain nosey someone though...



Skinny Chocolate Chip Scones
adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light table cream (5%)
1/4 cup 2% milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold)
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1 egg white
1 1/2 tbsp sugar (for dusting)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, vanilla & egg.  Next, in a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt and whisk together. 

To cut in the butter - place a cheese grater over top of the bowl and "shred" the butter into the flour mixture. This will help the butter create the "pockets" of fat that help create that fluffy texture to the scones that the "cutting" does, without all the fuss - thanks to Chef Michael Smith for the tip! Once all the butter is shredded in, simply combine with your hands until the mixtures is crumbly.Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips. 

Finally, add the wet mixture to the butter & flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until JUST MOIST. Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough on it 4 or 5 times. Round & press out the dough to make a about a 9" circle that is about 3/4" thick.Transfer to your baking sheet. 

Using a knife, cut the dough into 6 or 12 wedges (depending on how big you want them to be) all the way through. Finally, brush the top of the mound with your egg white and sprinkle the sugar on top (course sugar would be fantastic here, but regular white sugar works just fine).

Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 mins or until the tops are JUST golden. 

Enjoy with your regular morning drink - in my case...coffee!

Bon Appétit!


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