Scones 2 Ways: Savory (Cheddar Bacon) vs. Sweet (Cinnamon Raisin Pecan)

These scones were inspired by my mom's delicious cranberry orange scones...well that and I only have a cookie sheet currently for baking over here.  I just don't want to invest any too many baking tools over here, what can I say.  I did these scones two ways because Charles does not eat raisins.  Well and technically these aren't raisins their Sultanas, because they were cheaper than the raisins...plus they taste and look basically the same.  So the ones on the left are cheddar bacon scones and the ones on the right are cinnamon "raisin" pecan scones.  They are light, delicious and simple.  You could definitely throw these scones together for breakfast one morning.  These scones are going to be taken on an all day bus tour of the Highlands.  Pictures will come!  In the mean time these are a few more sights you can see while wondering around the streets of Glasgow.

A walk to the tearoom on a warm and sunny afternoon...totally worth the two miles there and back.

Random spray painted man in the West End.

My home for the next 2 weeks.

I love the mix of old and new buildings in this city.  Nothing cookie cutter about it.

Time for Scones:

Savory: Cheese and bacon...

Sweet: Cinnamon sugar covered sultanas and pecans...

The dough base...divide in half

Sweet scone base ready to be folded...

Cheese and bacon scones ready for cutting, then into the oven.

Let's get up close and personal with this cinnamon sultana pecan scone dough...

Into the oven we go...

Which do you prefer...savory or sweet...here you don't have to decide.

Basic Scone Recipe:

3 cups flour

4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and placed in the freezer for a few minutes

1 cup cold buttermilk, milk or cream

For Cinnamon Raisin Pecan Scones:

1/2 cup sultanas or raisins

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

1/2 cup white wine

1/8 cup sugar (for the "sweet" scones)

1 teaspoon turbinado or coarse decorating sugar (for the "sweet" scones)

For Bacon Cheese Scones:

1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped into pieces

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Place raisins in a bowl and cover with wine.  Allow to soak for 15-20 minutes.  Then drain the raisins and stir in the cinnamon and sugar.

2.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 C.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Stir in the buttermilk just until incorporated;  the dough will be crumbly and look dry.  Knead the dough in the bowl a few times to bring the dough together into a single mass.  Divide the dough in half.

3.  Turn one of the dough balls out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Gently fold in the cheese and bacon, then press into a circle roughly 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.  Cut the dough into 6 wedges, and place the wedges on a baking sheet.

4.  For the sweet, gently fold in the pecans and raisins, then press into a circle roughly 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.  Cut the dough into 6 wedges, and place the wedges on a baking sheet.  (I just baked all of mine at once on the same sheet.)  Sprinkle the tops of the "sweet" scones with raw sugar or if you only have white sugar that works too.  

5.  Bake on the center rack until golden brown, about 22-24 minutes.  Remove the scones to a rack to cool slightly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.