Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits

There were biscuits...biscuits with bacon and brown sugar, with a hint of pepper.  These biscuits were served at brunch with these quiche.  These biscuits are amazing and they make me even more excited for Joy the Baker's cookbook to come out in February.  They were served with butternut squash soup and salad for a semi-healthy way to start the New Year.  These also go great with a little apple butter or maybe even some pumpkin butter if you have some leftover from this past fall.

Well since the holiday season is over, and it is time to get back to the grind of things let start this week off right and Happy January everyone!

Bacon ready for the oven.

This is how I work...computer with recipe up and on the counter.  One day I will end up spilling something all over it, but until then...

P.S. Please check out this awesome plate that my friend Meghan gave me.  So awesome, I can't wait to use the rest of them!

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits: (recipe from Joy the Baker)

*makes about 8 biscuits

For the Bacon:

6 slices of bacon

1 tablespoon brown sugar

coarse ground black pepper

For the Biscuits:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1.  Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

2. Spread bacon across baking sheet in a single layer.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and black pepper.  

3.  Bake until crisp and cooked through, about 13 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and carefully use tongs to place the hot bacon on a cutting board.  Don’t put the bacon on paper towels or they might stick.  Allow to cool until you’re able to handle the slices and chop into medium chunks.  Set aside.

4.  Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.  Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and set aside.

5.  In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt and black pepper.  

6.  Add cold butter and use your hands to quickly break the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. (You can also do this using your food processor.  Pulse in the butter that has been cut in to cubes until resembles coarse sand.)  

7.  In another bowl, combine egg and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork.  

8.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring to incorporate.  Once batter is nearly incorporated, add bacon and mix in.

9.  You may want to dump the shaggy biscuit mixture onto a lightly floured board to knead together a few times.  Don’t overwork the dough and melt the butter; just make sure it comes together.

10.  Roll or pat dough into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or for glass.  Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps.    

11.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.