Four Cheese Bacon Chive Scones + Honey Butter

These were absolutely delicious. Only thing I'd do differently is not put as much flour in the dough because it was too sticky. Definitely add a bit more flour but not too much, or they won't be extremely light and flakey. Trial and error is the name of the game when you're cooking, so don't fret they will still be flakey, savory and out of this world delicious, just won't rise like you'd like. Learn this lesson now, from me and then yours will be far more airy and fluffy than mine!

I made these so my husband could take something to work, or to have a quick breakfast in the morning since he works twelve hours a day, and gets up at 4:30am. So, this was brain stormed, a delicious scone and he could quickly make eggs to go with if he wanted to! Perfect. This recipe is an adaptation from Ambrosia Baking but I obviously made it my own, just use her's as a baseline for the dough. Lets get started -- the chives, garlic, and 4 cheese blend were a great addition to this recipe, very happy I decided to add them!

Ingredients:
Makes about 2 dozen scones.

• 4 Thick Slices of Bacon
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour (you will need a bit more when kneeing the dough if too sticky)
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 cup Shredded 4 Cheese Blend
• 2 tablespoons Fresh or Dried Chives
• 2 Garlic Cloves chopped finely
• 1/4 teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 stick Unsalted Cold Butter - cut into pieces
• 1 Large Egg
• 3/4 cup Buttermilk (you can easily make your own with whole milk & lemon juice)

Honey Butter:

• 1/3 cup Butter
• 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar (optional)
• Honey (I didn't measure this out)

Preheat your oven 400°, line a baking sheet with baking/wax paper to ensure no sticking.

In a frying pan, cook bacon until lightly crispy. Place on paper towels and dab extra grease away. Chop the bacon into fine pieces or use a food processor to cut it. Set aside.

In a food processor (If you have one, I didn't, I used a mixer and my hands. Gotta use what you got) combine the flour, salt, pepper, cheese, chives, garlic, and baking powder together to mix nicely. Once mixed, add the butter until small bread crumbs begin to form. Whisk together egg and buttermilk, then add to the dry ingredients. Pulse, hand mix, or use a hand mixer until the dough begins to form. It will be sticky and if it is, add just a bit more flour - not a lot as per my warning up top.

Place dough on a flat, floured surface and knee the bacon into the dough. Roll out dough until only about 1/2 inch thick. Take a round cutter and cut pieces out of the dough placing them on the waxed paper on a baking tray ready for the oven. Re-ball up the dough and roll out again to continue to cut more pieces out.

Bake until the scones are lightly brown - ** They may not get lightly brown depending on your oven and the type of flour you use, that is okay. Adjust cooking time as well. Mine only took less than 12 minutes to cook, but you can cook them for up to 14. Overcooking them, will obviously make them hard and not have a soft center. Watch these carefully!** Take out of the oven once they are done, and place them on a cooling rack and serve a little warm.

For the honey butter, you'll need to mix the butter, brown sugar and the amount of honey you deserve until well combined and almost a cream texture or however you desire. Brush on top of scones and you've got an awesome quick breakfast, finger food, or even just scones to add to your dinner! Enjoy.

3 Enticing Creme Brûlées

These creme brûlées were outstanding. I can't even accurately explain how delicious these were. Please be patient as I finish writing out the recipe for these 3. First: S'mores, Second: Blackberry White Chocolate, Third: Caramel Apple.

My husband is now begging for me to make more. A special one, just for him. Spiced Pumpkin is on his mind apparently. It's heading into the direction of Fall, so I'm trying to stick to the theme of that for a while, it's my favorite time of the year anyhow. All this baking is making me think of Halloween party food ideas; ignore that, there will be a post about that closer to October. Let's get started in what you'll need.

Caramel Apple - Ingredients:

• 2 Fuji Apples, sliced thinly, if possible.
• My go to recipe for homemade caramel here or buy caramel from the store. Add very little or it will be watery! Just a light drizzle will go far.
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 teapsoon Vanilla Extract or use Vanilla Bean.  
• (If you use Vanilla bean, you will need to cook it in your heavy creamer longer, let it sit and then strain the pieces out. It will give it a far better burst of flavor though. Just a thought, if you can find it.)

NEEDS:

• Pastry Torch or an oven with a Broiler.
• Ramkeins
• Strainer (this is optional, I just strained it before adding to the ramekins for a smoother finish)

This makes about 4-6 servings. I did not make that many but you can save the rest in the refrigerator for up to 2 days at least. Though, making them immediately is what I'd advise.

Preheat the oven to 325° 

In a pot, you'll need to bring water to a boil. Keep it boiling.

Place the sliced apples (wrap in paper towel until fully dry) then add them to the bottom of the ramekin, drizzle with caramel and set aside. In a sauce pan, combine the sugar and brown sugar, along with the cinnamon; stir in the heavy cream. Stir constantly. You will bring this to a boil. Once it boils, you'll need to remove it from the heat, add a bit of it to the egg yolks, slowly or you will end up cooking the eggs. After adding a small amount to the eggs, pour the eggs into the sauce pan, place back on the stove, stir while adding the vanilla or vanilla bean.

Pour into the ramekins that have the apples in them.  Put ramekins into a slightly deep pan and place in oven; pour boiling water into pan, about half way up the ramekin. Make sure to not fill it too high. Let it cook in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. The creme brûlée will still be jiggly but should be holding together. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for 10 minutes - then after cooling, lightly wrap in foil and  place in the refrigerator. Let cool for 3 hours or overnight. (I let them cool overnight) Done? Take out, place sugar on top and use your pastry torch to brûlée the top. DO NOT TOUCH, it will be hot. Let it cool, and try not to burn it, as a burnt sugar isn't all that tasty. If made in the oven broil until sugar is a light toasted brown.


Blueberry White Chocolate - Ingredients:

• Fresh Blackberries - you can use frozen but I wouldn't recommend it.
• 4 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 5 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Spice
• White Chocolate Chips

NEEDS:

• Pastry Torch or Broiler
• Strainer (optional, only for a smoother finish)
• Ramekins  

Boil a pot of water, and keep it boiled until the end.


Preheat oven on 325°

Wash blackberries and wrap them inside a paper towel until dry. Make sure they're dry or if will cause the creme to split and not hold together. You do not want this or the watery taste it will have. Once dry, place them in the bottom of the ramekin along with your desired amount of white chocolate chips. Set aside.

Bring the cream and vanilla extract to a boil; stir constantly. Now, add the cardamom and remove from heat. Mix up the egg yolks with the 1/2 cup sugar, whisk until slightly pale; add a little bit of the cream at a time, not too much or you will end up cooking the egg. Add everything back to pot, strain and add to ramekins, place in a slightly deep pan - add the boiling water half way up the ramekins. Cook for 25-30 minutes, creme will be a bit jiggly. Place on cooling rack for 10 minutes, once cool lightly wrap in foil and place in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Add sugar, torch with pastry torch or broiler. Let sugar topping cool, and enjoy!

Makes about 4-6 servings. Great for a party!


S'mores: I got my recipe and inspiration from her for this one. I did NOT add as much chocolate and tweaked a few things but mine ended up tasting a bit more like a s'mores brownie. It was still delicious and I changed quite a few things but her recipe is still amazing and worth a look at S'mores Creme Brûlée.

FOR Passion Fruit Creme Brulee:
I made this but I did not ensure it was fully dry and the creme did not settle and broke apart. Do everything the same as the blackberry, except the cardamon. Though, you can add whatever spice you'd like to kick it up a notch. Just make sure to wrap in paper towel to ensure it is full dry, and has no excess water. Cut into thin slices, place at bottom of ramekin, follow everything else, and enjoy!

Apple rings? Yes, you heard right.

This recipe was a hit. My husband almost ate all of them from me. A very good source of fun, sweet, a little tang kick mixed with it just being perfect for Fall. I'm apple obsessed, no matter what season it is but this, I will definitely be fitting in again. I found this recipe on pinterest linked me to her: Recipe -- I adjusted this recipe just a bit for my own tastes.

Here is everything you'll need for these easy Fall treats.

For the rings:

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 pink lady apples (can use any)
• vegetable oil for frying
• cinnamon and sugar

For the icing:

• tbsp melted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 1/4 cup powder sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice

You'll need to heat up the oil, in a skillet or a cast iron skillet, while it's heating preheat oven to 400. I have a cast iron for meats and everything else, and then I have one for baking. I used my cast iron that is strictly for baking and heated the oil on medium. Whisk the egg white together until it starts to foam, then whisk in water and vanilla, once well mixed, you can then mix in the flour and salt. This will be the batter. You will need to core the apple and cut them from the side so they turn out like a circle, OR you can do what I did and use a apple peeler and corer that cuts the apples into spirals and peels them. I broke them off to create a circle with a very small line so when fried, they did not look separate.

Place apples in batter and place into hot oil. You will definitely need to turn these quite a bit before they are golden brown. You want them only to be golden and not a dark brown. Do not overload what you used to fry it because they will begin to stick together in a bad way.  Once golden brown, transfer to paper towel and sprinkle with just a little cinnamon and sugar. Place on a cooling rack or place on greased foil on cookie pan to be placed into the oven. Place in oven for 5-10 mins until crisp. Make icing by just putting everything together. Take the apple rings out of the oven and glaze with icing. Serve warm.

I hope this is just as much a hit for you, your family, or friends, as it was for me. Enjoy!

Be on the lookout for my upcoming apple salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips, peppermint bark cookies and a mud worms for kids this Halloween.