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Let me tell you about one of the best recipes I’ve made in a long time. But before I do, a little bit about my husband Tom. He’s always been a good eater. Meaning, he’s adventurous and will try just about anything. This makes me beyond happy. Not only do we have a great time on vacation trying all kinds of weird foods – jellyfish noodles and blood sausage come to mind – but he’s usually willing to eat just about anything I put in front of him. With the exception of a few seemingly innocent ingredients.
When I first started cooking for him, he informed me that he didn’t really like tomatoes, winter squash or asparagus. (Mind you, he comes from asparagus country in Michigan, so I don’t know how this is possible. Michigan asparagus in June is amazing.) I finally convinced him that restaurant tomatoes are not the same, and now he loves juicy heirloom tomatoes. He also likes winter squash and asparagus. But some quirks remain. Like scones. He claims to not like scones. I told him it’s probably because he worked at a bookstore Starbucks and has only tried those. Good scones are not bland and dry. He shrugged.
So I saw a recipe for Bacon Date Scones in Bon Appétit and finally got around to making them (with a few tweaks of course). Let me tell you – these scones are a revelation! I am not at all exaggerating here. They are the best thing I’ve made in a long time. I swapped dried mission figs for the dates and added a healthy dose of black pepper. I also subbed half the flour for whole wheat pastry flour. The tops are brushed with bacon drippings and sprinkled with coarse sugar before baking.
They have a nice, sweet crust and tender crumb. They’re porky and smoky but not overwhelmingly so, and the slight sweetness from the dough and figs balances gives it a nice salty/sweet balance. If you like it when a little maple syrup gets on your bacon, you will love these scones. Tom has been converted. He’ll never hate on scones again. At least, not my scones.
Adapted from Bon Appétit, March 2011
Note: I actually made the dough the day before and refrigerated it 24 hours (instead of the 2 hours indicated). Brushed with the bacon drippings and sprinkled with sugar just before I put them in the oven. Great if you’re making them for guests and want them to be nice and fresh.
7 slices (about 10 oz.) thick, center-cut bacon slices
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried figs (I used black mission)
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
Raw or coarse sugar
Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until cooked through but still tender and not crisp, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; cool. Pour bacon drippings from skillet into small heatproof bowl and reserve.
Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in large bowl. Coarsely chop cooled bacon. Add bacon and dates to flour mixture; toss to coat. Coarsely grate butter into flour mixture. Using fork, stir in butter. Add buttermilk; stir until large moist clumps form. Using hands, knead mixture briefly in bowl until dough forms.
Transfer dough to floured work surface. Pat into 8-inch round. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer scones to sheet. Cover and chill scones 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400°f. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with reserved bacon drippings. Sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake scones until golden brown and tester inserted into center of scones comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 large scones
My husband still claims to not like tomatoes – can’t even get him to try the ones from our garden.
These scones sound incredible. They remind me of a savory scone with bacon that I had at Bouchon in Napa last October. Looking forward to trying them.
These sound delicious! I love scones, bacon and figs… awesome!
I bookmarked these too, and now that you tweeked them I will make them.
See my post yesterday, I made a fig bacon and chervil cake, which was delicious.
http://www.staceysnacksonline.com/2011/04/fig-bacon-chervil-cake.html
The combination of figs and bacon is amazing.
Hope you are feeling great.
Stacey
Stacey – Wow! Your Fig, Bacon and Chevril cake looks awesome! I agree. Figs + bacon = heaven
Those sound amaaazing! If only I could turn my hubs on to the sweet/salt combo – he covers his eyes when I eat my sausage with maple syrup! Oh, the pity…
I like maple syrup on sausage and bacon, too.
What an amazing recipe for scones. What could be better than bacon and figs?
I had biscuits that were made with cheese and country bacon that drove me insane, and I know I would woof these down all by myself.
I’ve been lurking around your blog for a long time. Love your recipes, but just had to comment on the bacon fig pepper scones! I love pepper in baked goods. I put a healthy dose in my ginger cookies. Love them spicy!
Thanks! Can’t wait to try these.
I’m going to give this recipe to my daughter, she’s a barista and loves to make scones!
Then all I have to do is sit back and wait…heh heh!
Mel – I had seen this in the magazine as well, and dog-eared the page. Now, with your endorsement, I am SURE to make these great sounding scones. – S
Oh yum, you have done it again…love bacon with something sweet and cannot wait to try this recipe. Bon Apetite!
That sounds like a glorious combo and throwing it into a scone makes it sound the much better.
Mel,
Made these tonight (finally) with your tweeks.
LOVED THEM!
Will post them soon!
Hope you and baby are well!
Stacey