Bacon and Gruyére Scones

Making these scones forced me to make five pieces of bacon. And just when I was about to take a picture of said five pieces of bacon, I tripped over my own weirdly small feet and dropped them.

It felt like that cliché moment when a little girl drops her ice cream cone.

It was just plain sad.

And since I’ll use any excuse I can get, I think this is a valid reason for me to get a dog soon because then it wouldn’t have gone to waste. That’d make grandma proud. She doesn’t like food to go to waste. Grandmas put half drunk glasses of milk in the fridge for later.

Anywayz, these scones are sort of genius–they are full of cheesy and bacon goodness. I got a taste of this bacon breakfast geniusness on my way to the Rose Bowl Flea Market a few Sundays ago. If you live anywhere near LA, I highly recommend. Lots of old cool stuff, and I saw Santino (from Project Runway. remember him?!) and Heidi Klum with a TV camera. Weird. Only in LA.

I digress…on my way, I stopped at Intelligentsia and saw some scones. At first I thought they were cranberry scones and was mildly excited, but then kinda giddy when I I found out that the little red specks were in fact bacon…a.k.a. salty gold.

I quickly ordered one and then paid $12!!!! for my latte and scone. Yes, $12. Weird. Ridiculous. Only in LA.

p.s. It’s still one of my favorite coffee shops. I’m crazy like that. Some people spend their money on other weird stuff, I do good coffee.

Let’s talk texture…tenderness…and scone love!

I had an almost expired carton of buttermilk in the fridge, so I searched for a recipe that utilized it instead of heavy cream. I used Joy’s and it seriously is the best scone–bacon and gruyere aside–I’ve ever eaten. It’s almost on the same line as a biscuit, which is a very good thing. I’m never going back to scones that use heavy cream ever again.

This recipe was a breeze, but I do have one tip that I think helps:

If you have to step away mid-way through making the recipe. Like, your phone rings, you have to take blog pictures, or you have Twitter to check–whatever the case may be, just put the scone/butter mixture in the fridge or freezer and then take it out when you’re to continue.

That is all.

Bacon and Gruyére Scones

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Recipe for buttermilk scone from Joy the Baker

Idea of genius Bacon and Gruyére Scone from Intelligentsia (or whoever makes their pastries)

5 pieces of bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk

1/2 cup of Gruyére, grated

In a cast iron or medium skillet, cook diced bacon over medium-high heat, until brown. Transfer to a paper towel to drain and let cool. NOTE: Do not add hot bacon to the scone mixture. This will melt the butter. Muy importante.

Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. I use my fingers to rub the butter and dry ingredients together. In another bowl, combine egg yolk and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough. Fold in bacon and cheese.

Turn out onto a floured board and knead a few times and form into a ball. Roll out dough, using a rolling pin, into a 1-inch thick square. Cut into 4 large or 6 small  squares. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. These are best when serve immediately with butter and jam.