A certain wonderful husband is celebrating a birthday today. Since there is only one morning person in this house, last night I made him a batch of bacon cheddar biscuits so he would have something delicious and celebratory for breakfast. Once I tasted one, I knew I had to share the recipe here: delicious and celebratory they are. Also smoky, salty, rich, flaky: fabulous.

Happiest of birthdays to my sweet love. And happiest of biscuits to yours!

Adapted from $72 Biscuits, originally adapted from Cheddar Dill Biscuits by A Pastry Affair.

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp & crumbled (I used chipotle bacon)
• 7 oz (about 1 ½ cups) whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 oz (about ½ cup) whole wheat bread flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 oz (4 tbsp) butter, frozen
• 4 oz cheddar, grated
• ¾ cup buttermilk, plus extra for brushing

METHODS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (400 degrees F convection).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Grate in frozen butter, and work into flour until the mixture is the consistency of coarse sand. Run your hands under very cold water for a minute if they are warm. Mix in bacon and grated cheddar. Add buttermilk, tossing with a wooden spatula until dough begins to come together. Add additional buttermilk, 1 tbsp at a time, if dough seems very dry and/or will not hold together.
3. Turn onto a floured board. Knead minimally, one or two turns, just until dough will hold its shape. Gently flatten with your hands to a 1-inch high square. With a long, sharp knife, cut into 12 equal squares. Arrange evenly on an unlined baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with buttermilk. Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden brown, about 15 – 18 minutes.

Yields about 1 dozen biscuits.

OPTIONS

1. All-purpose flour will yield a fluffier, more tender biscuit, but you will lose the nutty flavor of whole wheat.

STORE

Best eaten fresh. Store uncooked biscuits frozen for up to 6 months: cook from frozen, simply adding a few minutes to the baking time.

SEASON

Year round.