Bacon Cheddar Scones

To me,a scones fits in somewhere between a biscuit and a muffin. I actually never knew what a scone was until about ten years ago when I made a recipe for what I thought was a fried scone like you'd find at the fair and it turned out to be this kind of scone, the kind you find at Starbucks. It was a nice surprise and I've been hooked ever since. These scones are surprisingly light and tender, yet very filling.

(Adapted from Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 - 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

1 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Egg wash:

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add butter and cut with pastry blender or two knives until butter is pea-sized. Stir in grated cheese. Mix in the green onions, bacon and 1 cup of buttermilk. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is too dry to come together, mix in the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8-inch circle. Slice the dough into 8 wedges.

In a small bowl combine the egg and water and whisk together. Brush each wedge lightly with the egg wash. Place scones on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.