Bayley Hazen Blue, Bacon, & Currant Scones

One of the best things about scones is the fact that they are so versatile: they can be sweet or savory; they can be eaten for breakfast or as an accompaniment for an afternoon cup of tea; they can be eaten out of hand as a convenient pastry, or toasted & adorned with all manner of spreads & toppings for a more satisfying snack. 

That sort of versatility is one of our favorite features of Bayley Hazen Blue, too - rich & complex enough to eat on its own, but especially fun to pair & cook with - it shines alongside everything from fresh fruit to seared steak, & can be incorporated into anything from crowd-pleasing cheese boards to salad dressings & desserts. 

This particular scone recipe straddles the sweet-salty border, using Bayley to tie together the juicy earthiness of dried currants with the smokiness of uncured bacon.

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Prep: 20 minutes — Chill: 45 minutes — Bake: 20 minutes

Yields: 8 Large Scones

Note: You can substitute whatever mix-ins you want - add your choice of herbs & spices, dried fruits & nuts, or a handful of scallions or caramelized onions - you can go as sweet or as savory as you’d like!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 2 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pea-sized pieces & chilled

• ½ package of uncured bacon, chopped (optional)

• 4 oz roughly-crumbled Bayley Hazen Blue

• ⅔ cup dried currants (optional)

• ¾ cup milk + 1 tbsp for brushing tops of scones

EQUIPMENT

• flour sifter or fine mesh strainer

• plastic wrap

• rolling pin

• parchment paper

• baking sheet

• brush

• sharp knife

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook bacon to desired crispiness, drain on paper towels, & set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine dry ingredients & sift into a medium mixing bowl. Add the chilled butter bits to the dry mixture & toss to coat evenly, separating the pieces with your fingers. Using your fingers or a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it just holds together when pressed - it will be quite coarse/lumpy.

For a more crumbly, rustic scone, evenly distribute the crispy bacon, crumbled Bayley, & dried currants throughout the flour-butter mixture then stir in the milk until a slightly sticky, shaggy dough forms. For a more fluffy, biscuit-like scone, mix the milk into the flour-butter mixture & form the dough, then knead the add-ins into it gently but thoroughly (that’s what we did here).

Place your dough onto a lightly floured surface, form it into a ball, & flatten it into a disc approximately 8 inches across and ¾-inch thick using your hands or a rolling pin. Don’t worry if it looks a little rough! Using a sharp knife, cut the disc into 8 even triangular wedges.

Arrange your scones about an inch apart from one another on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then freeze the prepared tray for 20-30 minutes before popping into the oven - this will help to prevent all of that bubbly Bayley from oozing out of the scones before they’re finished baking!

Bake for 10 minutes, then flip each scone over, brush the new tops with milk, & bake for another 10 minutes. Rotate tray & bake 10 more minutes, until tops are golden-brown. If serving fresh, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes first.

To store for later, cool completely & keep in an air-tight container for up to a week - or double the batch, wrap tightly in foil & freeze in zip-top bags for up to a month! To re-heat: bake thawed, foil-wrapped scones at 375F for 10 minutes.