While on a ski weekend in Wenatchee, Washington, we enjoyed a delicious Wenatchee Calzone at the Saddle Rock Pub & Brewery. Because Wenatchee is known as “The Apple Capital of the World”, the Wenatchee Calzone is filled with sliced apples. To bump up the flavor, this delicious calzone is also filled with bacon and Applewood smoked cheese. It was so delicious, it was the inspiration for my Apple-Bacon-Cheese Scones.
These scones are filled with chunks of apple, coarsely chopped bacon, and cubes of Applewood Smoked Cheddar Cheese, so that you get all 3 flavors in every bite.
Let’s BAKE!
INGREDIENTS
8 tablespoons butter (114 grams)
3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2″ pieces
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour (210 grams)
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (90 grams)
1/2 cup sugar (100 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces cheddar cheese (84 grams) cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, slightly beaten
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Grate 8 Tbsp. butter and put in freezer. Meanwhile, in a skillet on medium heat cook bacon until all the fat has been rendered; remove bacon from skillet and drain on a paper towel, leaving bacon fat in the skillet. Coarsely chop bacon; set aside all but 1 Tablespoon. Finely chop the 1 Tbsp. of bacon; set aside (this will be used to top the scones). Add apple pieces to the skillet with the bacon fat, add brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. On medium heat, cook for 2 minutes until apples get slightly al dente. Drain apples, reserving 1 Tablespoon of the juices in a 1-cup measuring cup and 1 teaspoon in a small bowl; set aside
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Add apples, coarsely chopped bacon, and cheese, stirring to combine. Stir in frozen butter. Add buttermilk to reserved 1 Tablespoon juices to make 1 cup . Mix into dry-butter ingredients until just together, (do not overmix, the dough is very loose). Place dough on a heavy floured board and pat into a square. Roll out into a 12″ square. Fold into thirds, and then fold into thirds the other direction (you should have a square again). Put on a floured plate and put into the freezer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Place dough on floured surface, pat dough into 3/4-inch thickness. Cut scones with a 2-1/2-inch (6.5 cm) round cutter. Leftover dough can be slightly kneaded, pat to 3/4-inch thick, then cut until you run out of dough. Place scones on parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together egg and reserved 1 teaspoon apple-bacon juices. Brush the tops of each scone with egg mixture using a pastry brush. Sprinkle each scone with finely chopped bacon. Bake at 400 degrees F. (200-degree C or gas mark 6) for 15 minutes (until golden brown and delicious). Cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
