I hate bacon.
I know this makes me some kind of freak of nature, but it's true. I really can't stand any pork products at all, much to the chagrin of my born and raised Southern husband. But I was a vegetarian when we met, dated, got engaged and married...I gave that up when we got married and began eating all our dinners together. Pork though, I just can't get on board with...no, not even bacon.
But - in celebration of my dear husband who was born a few short years ago (ahem) today...I am putting aside my deep, deep hatred of bacon and making him some bacon, cheddar & rosemary scones. Not only did I make the scones, but I actually had to purchase bacon, coat it in sugar, bake it, smell it, and cut it up afterward - and I did so without gagging. (Look, I seriously hate the stuff...)
Since most people love bacon, I bet you all are salivating right now thinking about these delicious home baked scones. And don't let the word scone fool you into thinking they are too fancy for a beginning baker. Scones are just as easy as a batch of cookies and the key is to not over mix or handle the dough so that the dough remains delicate and flaky once cooked.
Enough about that, on to the recipe!
Happiest of Birthdays to my wonderful husband!! If this doesn't show you how much I love you, I'm not sure what will!
I know this makes me some kind of freak of nature, but it's true. I really can't stand any pork products at all, much to the chagrin of my born and raised Southern husband. But I was a vegetarian when we met, dated, got engaged and married...I gave that up when we got married and began eating all our dinners together. Pork though, I just can't get on board with...no, not even bacon.
But - in celebration of my dear husband who was born a few short years ago (ahem) today...I am putting aside my deep, deep hatred of bacon and making him some bacon, cheddar & rosemary scones. Not only did I make the scones, but I actually had to purchase bacon, coat it in sugar, bake it, smell it, and cut it up afterward - and I did so without gagging. (Look, I seriously hate the stuff...)
Since most people love bacon, I bet you all are salivating right now thinking about these delicious home baked scones. And don't let the word scone fool you into thinking they are too fancy for a beginning baker. Scones are just as easy as a batch of cookies and the key is to not over mix or handle the dough so that the dough remains delicate and flaky once cooked.
Enough about that, on to the recipe!
Here's the full recipe, which I found on Bluebonnets and Brownies:
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons frozen butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup 1/2″ cubed extra sharp cheddar
1 cup cooked, chopped bacon (sugar required)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons frozen butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup 1/2″ cubed extra sharp cheddar
1 cup cooked, chopped bacon (sugar required)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Start by making the bacon. Fill a plate with a mixture of sugar (I used 1/2 c. white sugar and 1/2 c. brown sugar. She originally used maple sugar, but I didn't feel like hunting all over Charlotte for it!) Using 1/2 lb. of thick cut bacon, coat each piece of bacon in the sugars mixture.
Place each bacon strip on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. To make cleanup easy, also place a cookie cooling rack on the tray, and lay the bacon on top of that. The fat will fall below the cooling rack and allow the bacon to crisp on all sides. Bake the bacon for roughly 27 minutes, until crisp.
Remove bacon from the oven and blot with a paper towel. Allow it to cool. Do not place bacon on a piece of paper towel – the caramelized sugar will cause the paper towel to adhere to the bacon.
Once bacon is cool, cut each strip into bite-size pieces.
For the Scones
Increase oven temperature to 425F.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine. Using a cheese grater, grate frozen butter into the flour mixture and stir to combine.
Add cheese, bacon and rosemary to flour-butter mixture and stir to distribute. Now add cream and stir until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. (How cute right? A shaggy mass!)
Move dough to a parchment lined baking sheet and form into a 7″ flat disc. Cut disk into 8 wedges and separate, roughly 2″ apart on baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Happiest of Birthdays to my wonderful husband!! If this doesn't show you how much I love you, I'm not sure what will!
