PEPPERED BACON AND CHEESE SCONES

Peppered Bacon and Cheese Scones image

Mmm! That's what you'll hear as you serve a platter of these buttery, savory scones. The bacon and cheese flavor combination is a welcomed change of pace to the usual sweet varieties often served at brunch. -Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 40m

Yield 8 scones.

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups shredded Gouda cheese
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese, bacon and shallot., In a small bowl, whisk egg and buttermilk until blended; reserve 1 tablespoon mixture for brushing scones. Stir remaining mixture into crumb mixture just until moistened., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 10 times. Pat dough into an 8-in. circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place wedges on a greased baking sheet. Brush with reserved buttermilk mixture., Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 433 calories, Fat 23g fat (14g saturated fat), Cholesterol 96mg cholesterol, Sodium 718mg sodium, Carbohydrate 39g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 16g protein.