Bacon Cheddar Scones

I don’t like bacon.

There, I said it. Save your gasps, your looks of disbelief, and your monologues about how bacon is America’s greatest food. It’s just not my thang. And I’m ok with that, thankyouverymuch.

But that’s not to say that I am opposed to baking with it. I’m not going to be eating it anyhow, so I might as well experiment. I will say that I tried a corner of a scone and as far as overall flavor goes, it was good. But I wouldn’t choose to eat it because of the bacon. But I taste tested the scones anyway because I won’t post something I can’t get behind.

And if I were a bacon lover, these would be phenom. Seriously. A whole pack of bacon, enough cheddah to sedate a small horse and pepper enclosed in a flaky, crumbly scone dough? Yep, it’s a winner.

So grab a pack and get baking. Just don’t share it with bacon haters of the world. Although I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one in that club 😉

Bacon and Cheddar Scones
source: Rebecca Rather, The Pastry Queen

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 stick well-chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 heaping cups grated Cheddar cheese
10 slices bacon, cooked nice and crispy and chopped into 1 inch pieces
3/4 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I needed 1 full cup)
1 large egg
2 tsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl on low speed. With mixer running, gradually add cubes of butter until the mixture is crumbly and studded with flour – butter bits about the size of small peas. Alternatively you could prep the scone dough in a food processor, pulsing a few times to cut the butter in. Add grated cheese and mix just until blended. (This can also be done by hand: In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Gradually cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles small peas. Stir in cheese.)

Add bacon and 3/4 cup of the buttermilk to flour and cheese mixture. Mix by hand just until all ingredients are incorporated. If dough is too dry to hold together, use remaining buttermilk, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is pliable and can be formed into a ball. Try not to overwork the dough, the longer you handle it the tougher it will be. Remove dough from bowl and place it on a lightly floured flat surface. Pat dough into a ball. Using your hands, flatten dough into a circle about 10 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into 8 to 12 equal wedges, depending on the size scone you prefer.

Whisk egg and water in a small mixing bowl to combine. Brush each wedge with egg wash. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer sticky in the middle. Serve warm, fresh from the oven.

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