bacon cheddar scones 2.0

bacon and cheese are a match made in heaven.  of course not the healthiest but still the most delicious.  bacon of course makes everything better and many would argue cheese does the same.  i’ve already made quite a few recipes highlighting my love for bacon and cheese from my first recipe for bacon cheddar scones to bacon & cheddar muffins, and even this loaded baked potato dip.

although my first crack at bacon cheddar scones was fine, the pictures i took for that post just weren’t the best.  so i figured why not make them again so that i could do a proper post.  but then i realized i didn’t have any buttermilk but i did have a whole quart of heavy cream.  my go to recipe for sweet scones has cream so why not make a savory scone with cream.  duh!

after a quick search online, i found this recipe from king arthur flour.  it is very similar to the first recipe i made but just calls for cream instead.  sounds good to me.  the scones were full of flavor – lots of smoky bacon and sharp cheddar, and the green onion is the perfect addition to round it all out.  plus they were crispy and golden brown on the outside and still nice and fluffy on the inside, just as a good scone should be.

start by getting your main ingredients ready, fry up the bacon…

and shred some sharp cheddar cheese.  p.s. always shred your own cheese.  the pre-shredded kind has powdery stuff on it (to keep the shreds from sticking to each other) that can make your dish a little gritty.  this is especially important for things like mac and cheese.  though it doesn’t make a huge difference in scones, it’s become habit for me to just shred my own.

now in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.

then add the butter and using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture,

until the mixture is crumbly.  you want there to still be little bits of butter because that’s what makes the scones nice and flaky.

next throw in the cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and green onions.

stir to combine…

then pour in the cream.  start with just 3/4 of a cup and then if the dough is still dry a tablespoon at a time up to 2 tablespoons.

the dough will come together and shape it into a ball, like so.

line an 8×8 baking pan with plastic wrap and transfer the dough to the pan.   press the dough out into an even layer.

using the edges of the plastic wrap, carefully remove the dough from the pan…

then cut the dough into 16 pieces.  i find it easiest to cut it into 8 triangles and then cut each triangle in half.

transfer the scones to a parchment paper or silpat mat lined baking pan.  don’t worry about them being kind of close together.  they don’t spread much if at all.

sprinkle some shredded cheese on to each scone.

and then bake the scones at 425 degrees f for 18-20 minutes.

allow the scones to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Bacon Cheddar Scones

adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons cold  butter
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + a bit more to sprinkle on top of each scone
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked, cooled, and crumbled (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream, or enough to make the dough cohesive

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment or a silpat mat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
3. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in larger pieces.
4. Mix in the cheese, chives, and bacon until evenly distributed.
5. Add ¾ cup of the cream, stirring to combine. Try squeezing the dough together; if it’s crumbly and won’t hang together, or if there are crumbs remaining in the bottom of the bowl, add cream until the dough comes together. Transfer the shaggy dough to a well-floured work surface.
6. Form scones by pressing the dough into an plastic wrap lined 8-inch baking pan.  Then remove the dough from the pan and cut the dough into 16 triangles (first cut 8 wedges and cut each in half).
7. Place wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
8. Sprinkle each with a little cheddar cheese.
9. Bake until scone tops are golden brown, 18-20 minutes.
10. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Printer Friendly Recipe: Bacon Cheddar Scones 2.0

Posted by miki on October 15, 2013

https://heymikiheymiki.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/bacon-cheddar-scones-2-0/