BACON CHEDDAR SCONES
Adapted from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook

YIELD: 12 SCONES
TOTAL TIME: 2 DAYS

Whole grain white sonora flour: 107 g
Red Fife type 85 flour: 196 g
Baking powder: 8 g
Baking soda: 1.6 g
Raw cane sugar: 27 g
Salt: 3 g

Cold, unsalted butter: 132 g
Heavy cream, plus extra for brushing: 70 g
Creme fraiche: 89g

Applewood smoked bacon (I use 1 package of Trader Joe's nitrate-free, no sugar added): 340 grams

Coastal Cheddar: 180 g

Minced chives: 5 g

Freshly ground black pepper

RECIPE

DAY 1

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Cut butter into small, 1/4" pieces, and store in the fridge until needed.

3. Line a baking sheet with foil or silpat, add bacon, and bake until cooked through and starting to crisp. Drain on a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Let cool, then mince into small (1/8" pieces). Turn off oven for now.

4. In mixer fitted with paddle, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt on the lowest setting until mixed evenly.

5. Take the butter from the fridge and add. Use the slowest speed to incorporate, then increase one or two speeds for 1-2 minutes until incorporated. Break up any large pieces of butter if needed. Mixture will still be very dry, but butter should be spread evenly throughout.

6. With mixer on slowest speed, add cream and creme fraiche and mix until it just comes together and pulls away from the bowl onto the paddle. Pull dough from the paddle into the bowl, and add bacon, 144 g of cheese, and chives. Pulse until evenly spread throughout.

7. Move dough to a work surface, use hand or dough scraper to press it into a 7" x 9" block. Square off the corners, wrap in cling wrap, and chill for 2 hours.

8. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat, and cut the chilled dough into 12 pieces (cut in half the long way, then cut each half into 6 pieces). Place scones on the baking sheet, wrap in cling wrap, and freeze overnight. 

DAY 2

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit, turning on convect if that's an option.

10. Move the scones to a new (not chilled) baking sheet, brush with extra cream, and sprinkle on remaining cheddar, and black pepper. 

11. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until golden brown. If you have a top broiler, you can broil the top for an extra minute to brown, but be careful not to burn them! 

12. Let cool (they're still cooking) and then serve the same day or freeze.