At Last: Light Biscuits and Popovers

Popovers and biscuits are my two favorite quick breads. Recipes for both traditionally require plenty of fat, and it’s usually quite a trick to scale them down. Biscuits get light and flaky from shortening or butter, and popovers need the fat of plenty of egg yolks to cook through inside while they puff and brown.

Researching and testing brought me to a recent article in Eating Well magazine. The article shared techniques for low-fat popovers that were baked 25 minutes, then slit and baked an additional five. This allowed the interior to cook. Preheating the muffin pan as well as the oven helps these low-fat popovers to rise well and hold their shape.

Carroll is the author of the “No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook” (Rodale Press, 1991).

SWEET POTATO POPOVERS (LOW-FAT COOKING)

Nonstick cooking spray

1/4 cup pureed cooked sweet potato

3 eggs

2 cups evaporated skim milk

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups whole wheat pastry or unbleached white flour

Dash salt

Dash nutmeg

3 egg whites

Lightly coat 12-cup nonstick muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and warm in oven at 400 degrees.

Puree sweet potato, eggs, evaporated milk and oil in food processor or blender until smooth.

Stir together flour, salt and nutmeg in medium bowl. Add sweet potato mixture and stir well. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold into batter.

Remove muffin pan from oven and divide batter equally among muffin cups. Return pan to oven and bake until popovers are puffy and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Remove muffin pan from oven and make 2 to 3 small slits in each popover with sharp knife. Return to oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes to finish cooking interior. Serve immediately.

12 popovers. Each popover:

159 calories; 98 mg sodium; 55 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

MAPLE-PUMPKIN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

2 cups unbleached white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash nutmeg

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, chilled

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon maple extract

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add pumpkin puree, maple syrup and extract and enough buttermilk to make dough that can be kneaded.

Turn dough out onto floured board and knead lightly. Roll into 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out 2-inch biscuits with round biscuit cutter.

Bake on nonstick baking sheets at 450 degrees until golden brown and flaky, about 12 minutes.

12 biscuits. Each biscuit:

126 calories; 216 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.