Petite Low-Fat Vanilla Scones

I really enjoy baking when:  a) I have the time, b) motivation strikes and c) I have the energy.  Unfortunately, the stars do not align too often around here, but for some reason, last weekend was different.  I woke up on Sunday morning and decided I just absolutely HAD to bake something.  After pouring through my recipe cards I found one of my all-time favorite things to make; Petite Low-Fat Vanilla Scones. Let me just say, if you like Starbucks’ version, you’ll love these! Vanilla goodness with a subtle hint of lemon, wrapped in a sugary glaze that seals in the moisture, giving these scones the perfect balance of moistness/cakey-ness. The fat and calorie savings comes from substituting regular and low fat sour cream for the heavy cream and large amounts of butter that’s typically used when making scones.  The only problem I found with these scones is that they’re so cute, delicious, and low-fat, that you just want to pop the whole batch into your mouth one right after the other until they’re all gone!

 These are so easy to make and, with the exception of the vanilla beans, all of the ingredients are standard pantry items. Speaking of vanilla beans; they can be a bit pricey but I found some great quality beans at Cost Plus World Market for 2.99 for a package containing two beans. I usually buy 3 or 4 packages to make sure I always have fresh vanilla on hand, just in case the stars should align just right on a random Sunday morning.  So let’s just get to the baking part, already, shall we?

Petite Low-Fat Vanilla Scones

Makes approximately 24 petite scones

For the scones:

2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup regular sour cream
½ cup low fat sour cream
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 whole vanilla bean (caviar)

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
5 to 6 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 whole vanilla bean (caviar)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out all the vanilla “caviar” inside. Set aside until needed.

In a food processor or mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar). If using a food processor, “pulse” in COLD butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If mixing by hand, cut butter into mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (sour creams, vanilla bean caviar, egg yolk, and lemon zest).
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until dough comes together.

Place dough on a floured, parchment lined baking sheet, then with floured hands, form dough into a rough rectangle shape (mixture will be pretty crumbly.) Use a rolling pin to shape the rectangle to approximately 12-by-9 inches and 1/2-to-3/4-inches thick. Cut into 12 equal sized squares, then cut each square in half diagonally until you have 24 triangles.

Place in the oven and bake for 17 minutes removing from the oven just before they turn golden-brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

While the scones cool, mix up the sugary-lemony glaze.  Split the remaining vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the caviar. Combine powdered sugar, vanilla bean caviar, and lemon juice in a bowl. While whisking, add in milk by the tablespoon until the glaze reaches desired consistency.

Once the scones are cool, dip scones one at a time into the glaze, then place on parchment paper until the glaze begins to harden. Dip each scone a second time, then let harden completely.

Once the glaze has dried completely, pour yourself a hot cup of coffee and enjoy!

These scones will keep for several days once glazed, so you can enjoy them all week long, or, if your me, for at least an hour.

Happy Baking!

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