Bacon, leek and cheddar scones

 
Mmmmm, these bacon, leek and cheddar scones are a super breakfast or brunch idea.  You could easily substitute the cheddar for any other type of cheese and use spring onions in place of the leeks.  If you're looking for a meatless alternative you could omit the bacon and add some sun-dried tomatoes to the scones.  This recipe makes 6 - 3 1/2 inch wide scones.

Bacon, leek and cheddar scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

2/3 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup chopped leeks

4 rashers of bacon

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Cook your bacon until it is slightly crispy.  Remove the bacon from the pan and drain the fat.  Cook the leeks in the same pan in 1 tbsp of the bacon fat, adding a 1/4 tsp of cracked black pepper.  Cook the leeks until they are soft and slightly translucent.  Set aside to cool.

In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  

Add the cold butter to the flour mixture, and using your fingertips blend until a coarse crumb forms.  Add the buttermilk and mix until just combined. 

Coarsely chop the bacon and add it to the scone mixture, along with the leeks and a 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.  Gently fold in all the ingredients and turn out the dough onto a well floured surface. 

Pat the dough into a 1/2 inch thick round and using a cutter, cut out 6 circles.  Place on the baking pan and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned on the tops and bottoms.

Note:  If you do not have buttermilk or don’t want to buy some for only 2/3 of a cup you can make you own.  I usually use 5% or 10% cream and add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar.  Let sit for 5 minutes before adding it to your recipe.

 

Comments

[A Bit Of Mayhem]

These look great and I happen to have all of the ingredients.

Hope they taste as great as they look!