Warm breakfast biscuits minus much of the fat

Tender, hot biscuits can be the crowning touch to a sumptuous breakfast, but they usually add regal amounts of fat.

In classic recipes, lard or butter gives the biscuits their moist and flaky texture _ and as much as 9 grams of fat each. So how can the fat be reduced without ruining the results?

It's easier than you might expect. Using low-fat buttermilk and substituting some of the all-purpose flour with cake flour is all it takes.

Years ago buttermilk was a liquid byproduct of the buttermaking process. Today, it is made by combining nonfat or low-fat pasteurized milk with lactic acid bacteria, the same healthful bacteria you find in yogurt.

The slight acidity of buttermilk acts as a tenderizer to the flour in the biscuits and imparts a rich dairy flavor.

Cake flour is a specialty wheat flour often used for making cookies, cakes and other delicate baked items.

It's milled to an extra-fine consistency and processed to have only about half the protein of all-purpose flour. As a result, it absorbs fat, such as butter, very well and helps to more evenly distribute it throughout a dough or batter. This means you can add less fat to a baked good and still get moist and tender results.

This recipe for lower-fat buttermilk biscuits also substitutes canola oil for some of the butter to help reduce saturated fat even further.

If you want to make these for strawberry shortcake, cut them a bit larger and sprinkle the tops with sugar before baking.

Use any leftover buttermilk for making creamy low-fat and nonfat salad dressings.

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LOWER-FAT BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Start to finish: 30 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 10

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon low-fat milk, for brushing

Heat the oven to 425 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Using 2 knives or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Make a well in the center and gradually pour in the buttermilk and oil mixture, stirring with a fork, until just combined.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and sprinkle with flour. Lightly knead for 30 seconds, then pat or roll out to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Use a 2-inch round cutter to cut the dough. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet.

Gather any scraps of dough, pat to 1/2 inch thickness and cut more rounds.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with the milk. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 130 calories; 30 calories from fat; 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 294 mg sodium.