Soft, rich and buttery scones would be a daily addition to my diet if my weight could afford it! You can get quite experimental with scones, from sweet additions to savoury ones. I like the combination of the savoury cheddar cheese and honey glazed bacon bits. The chives add a slight freshness to all the savoury elements, emphasis on slightly. You could also add fresh fruit or chocolate. Prior to baking you could sprinkle over a bit of sea salt or sugar on top of each scone. It add a slight crunch and additional flavour, which is always welcomed.
Scones are best served fresh, likely this recipe doesn’t require the dough to rest. With that said, it’s crucial to first prep all the ingredients and with that, to make all the ingredients are cold (besides the dry ingredients of course) using cold ingredients (butter should be frozen), then whilst the oven is preheating you’ll leave the sectioned scones in the fridge.
Origins of a ‘Scone’
A scone (/ˈskɒn/ SKON or /ˈskoʊn/ SKOHN) is a traditional British baked good, popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is usually made of either wheat flour or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component of the cream tea. It differs from teacakes and other types of sweets that are made with yeast. Scones were chosen as the Republic of Ireland representative for Café Europe during the Austrian presidency of the European Union in 2006, while the United Kingdom chose shortbread.
What’s the difference between a scone and a biscuit?
The egg is what sets scones apart from biscuits. Biscuits are flaky and buttery, whereas these scones are too but they’re richer, softer, and cakier.
Savoury Combinations That Would Work Perfectly
• Rosemary and Roasted Garlic
• Spinach and feta
• Caramelized Onion and Thyme
• Roast Tomatoes and Basil
• Zucchini and Cheddar
• Blue Cheese and Roasted Walnut
Savoury Cheese & Bacon Scones
Ingredients
- 150 grams streaky bacon or cubed bacon
- 15 grams honey
- 250 grams regular flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 130 grams cheddar cheese or cheese of choice grated and chilled, see notes
- 15 grams chives finely diced, about 3 tbsp
- 115 grams butter frozen, grated
- 1 large egg cold, separated
- 220 ml buttermilk cold
Instructions
- Start by dicing the bacon into small cubes, if using streaky bacon, and sauté on a medium heat until crispy. Just before removing it from the heat, add 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey and sauté for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and white pepper together in a large bowl. Add in the chives and chilled shredded cheese.
- Grate the frozen butter using a box cutter - don't grate too finely, medium shreds. Add the butter to the flour mixture and combine with your fingers, two forks or a pastry cutter until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
- Add 170ml of chilled buttermilk and the egg yolk (save egg white for step 5) to a small container. Add in the honey-glazed bacon bits and mix until combined. Pour over the flour-cheese mixture and then mix until the dough clumps together.
- Tip the dough onto a clean and floured, work surface and lightly press the dough together. Add a sprinkle of flour if the dough seems too sticky, or a tbsp of cold buttermilk if it's too dry. Do not over work the dough otherwise the butter will start to soften. Do not knead but rather press it into a rectangular shape (or shape of choice) with 1/2 thumbs height and, with a sharp knife cut into 8 pieces or however big you'd like them. Place the scones on a lined baking sheet, 8 cm apart.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes or until the oven has preheated. Once the scones are in the fridge, preheat the oven to 204℃/400℉.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and on top. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before devouring.
Video
Notes
- Cheese: I like using cheddar cheese because it's sharp so it delivers a lot of flavour. The orange from the cheddar cheese also adds a lovely color but you can use whatever cheese you fancy - woohoo!
- Meat: You can use bacon or whatever cured meat you like, like ham, salami etc. You can also use cubed bacon if you prefer.
- Storing: Leftover scones keep well at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Scones become softer by day 2.