Bourbon Bacon Scones

You are probably very familiar with scones. They’re sweet, delicious, and hail from Great Britain… what’s not to love? They are a morning staple that never fails to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Truly a perfected food. Or are they? I set out to challenge the traditional notion of the scone by making a savory, meat garnished version. The results were excellent. Now, I am absolutely not saying that they can rival the classically sweet treat, but they certainly are a delicious alternative when you want to shake things up. Plus I have added a bit of American magic to the British treat… bourbon and bacon, my friends. Well actually Canadian Bacon, but that’s close enough to American isn’t it?! So get your brunch plans in order, it’s time to make some Bourbon Bacon Scones…

BOURBON BACON SCONES

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 cups of all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup of almond flour
3. 1/2 cup of butter (cold)
4. 1/2 cup of milk
5. 1 tablespoon of bourbon (recommend: Maker’s Mark)
6. 1/3 cup of Canadian bacon (diced)
7. 1/2 cup of gruyere (shredded)
8. 2 tablespoons of chives (chopped)
9. 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
10. 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon of salt
12. 2 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Grate the cold butter into the bowl and lightly mix with a spatula.
3. In a small bowl, mix the milk and apple cider vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes or until it starts to curdle. Note: This is a substitute I prefer over using buttermilk, since the apple cider vinegar adds a more complex flavor to the scones.
4. Add the milk-vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients, along with one egg and the bourbon. Mix well until a thick dough is created. Fold in the diced bacon, shredded cheese, and chives.
5. Place the dough on the parchment lined cookie sheet and mold into a large round loaf. Using a sharp knife, cut the loaf into wedges and brush with egg yolk.
6. Bake for approximately 25 minutes and then let cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of almond flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Grate 1/2 cup of cold butter into the bowl and lightly mix with a spatula.

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup of cold milk and 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes or until it starts to curdle. Note: This is a substitute I prefer over using buttermilk, since the apple cider vinegar adds a more complex flavor to the scones. Add the milk-vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients, along with one egg and 1 tablespoon of bourbon (Maker’s Mark recommended).

Mix well until a thick dough is created. Fold in 1/3 cup of diced bacon, 1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese, and 2 tablespoons of chives.

Place the dough on the parchment lined cookie sheet and mold into a large round loaf. Using a sharp knife, cut the loaf into wedges and brush with egg yolk.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes and then let cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

There’s my All-American take on a not-so-American treat. Now, please excuse me while I plop down to watch a marathon of Downton Abbey and gorge myself on these babies.