Bacon Cheddar Scones (Bouchon Bakery)

"What are these?" asked my husband and son and they were looking at me with their puzzled faces.

"They are bacon scones!"

My son didn't care if these are scones or anything and grabbed one to try. Despite that my husband wasn't please with my answer, he took one to try too. Then, me three. For the next moment, all I heard was these...

"Mmm... Yummy!"

"Mmm... Interesting!"

"It is crumbly like pastry and also soft like cake!"

"It is crispy on its outside and moist and tender in its inside!"

With no hesitation, we all grabbed our next scones immediately after we finished our first. And because I baked just six scones, the three of us won't be any third!!! Aww...

If you are baking these scones from the book, Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel or here with Joyce from Kitchen Flavours , Lena from Frozen wings and me, I'm sure that a bacon or a savoury-scone loving you won't be disappointed. However, you might be disappointed if you are baking not enough scones and can't have enough of these melt-in-your-mouth bakes.

Bacon cheddar scones (Recipe by Bouchon Bakery)

As mentioned in their name, these scones are obviously made of bacon.
And I have used the rindless short cut ones.

Obviously too, these scones are made of this crumbly white cheddar.

... plus fresh chives from my garden.

First, I placed the dry ingredients and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. 

Then, I did this.

After I gathered all to form a dough, I cut the block of dough into six squares.

Instead of freezing the dough, I have used them to bake immediately...

Glad that the scones look perfectly ok!

... and they taste very crumbly and yummy too!

Here's the recipe that I have mostly adapted from the book, Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel or here, rounding up or down the odd measurements that Keller prefers.

Makes 6 large scones
50g all-purpose flour (with 10% protein)
100g cake flour (with 8% protein)
5g baking powder
15g caste sugar
1/2 tsp salt
60g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inches or 0.5cm pieces
2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream, plus additional for brushing
45g crème fraîche
6 bacon (about 250g), preferably rindless and short cut, cooked, drained, and cut into 1/8-inch or 0.3 cm pieces 
70g white cheddar cheese, roughly crumbled, plus 20g to top
2 tbsp finely cut chives
freshly ground black pepper

Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix with the lowest setting for about 15 seconds to combine. Stop the mixer, add the butter. Cover the mixer with a tea towel to keep the flour from flying out of the bowl and mix with the lowest setting for about 3 mins to incorporate butter into the dry mixture. If any large pieces of butter remain, stop the mixer, break them up by hand, and mix until just incorporated.

With the mixer running, slowly pour in cream. Add crème fraîche and mix on low speed for about 30 sec or until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Unlike what the original recipe has mentioned, I noticed that the dough didn't form a dough until the addition of cheddar cheese. 

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and paddle and pulse again to combine. Add bacon, 70g cheese and chives and pulse to incorporate. Do not over mix at this stage!

Mound the dough on the work surface and, using the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper, push it together. Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and, using your hands, press it into a rectangle block, smoothing the top. Press the sides of your hands against the sides of the dough to straighten them. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hrs, until firm but I have omitted this step and the dough seems perfectly ok to work with.

Cut the block of dough lengthwise in half and then cut each half crosswise into 6 squares. Arrange them on a tray lined with non-stick surfaces, leaving enough space in between them. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until frozen solid, at least 2 hrs, but preferably overnight or even up to 1 month but I have omitted this step and the scones are perfectly delicious enough for us to enjoy.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F or 180°C or 160°C fan forced. Line a baking tray with a Silpat or baking paper. Arrange the frozen or unfrozen scones at about 1 inch or 2.5 cm apart on the prepared pan. Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with the remaining 20g cheese and black pepper. Bake until golden brown, 24-27 mins in a convection oven, 33-36 mins in a standard oven if they are frozen or 25 mins in a standard oven if they are not frozen. Allow the scones to cool slightly on the baking tray and transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

The scones are best the day they are baked, but they can be stored in a covered container for 1 day.

Happy Baking
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