Twice-Peppered Bacon and Buttermilk Scones with Gouda

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 cup butter unsalted cold cut into small pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1  eggs 
• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 1.5 cups gouda cheese shredded
• 0.3 teaspoon ground pepper red (cayenne)
• 0.3 cup oz. bacon into pieces cooked
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1  shallots finely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• blender

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, or grease with shortening. In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, black pepper, salt and red pepper.
2. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through mixture in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese, bacon and shallot.
3. In small bowl, beat buttermilk and egg with fork or whisk. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk mixture. Stir remaining buttermilk mixture into crumb mixture; mix with floured hands until dough forms a ball. For tender scones, handle dough as little as possible.
4. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Pat dough into 8-inch round; cut into 8 wedges.
5. Place wedges 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
6. Brush with reserved buttermilk mixture.
7. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve warm.