Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits

Here I am, writing an entry, when I should actually be heading to bed. Early, yes, but tomorrow is Faculty Meeting Day which means my day starts earlier, which means I have to end my day today earlier as well. It always makes the rest of my day rough. Who knew waking up just 30 minutes before the usual time would make such a difference? This whole week is probably going to be rough. Actually, it's been rough since Spring Break. I spent a week in San Francisco with my sister eating wonderful food and seeing some great sights and it's been hard to get back into the groove ever since. I come home ready for a nap more days than before and it's days like them that I am grateful for simple, fast dinners.



I made a batch of these Bacon Biscuits a while ago and I am so glad to have frozen the leftovers. They still bake up to softness and deliciousness. As soon as I make it through the hardest part (preheating the oven and waiting for them to finish baking!), I cook up 2 eggs, slap on some cheese, and assemble the sandwiches. They're gone in 10 seconds. Maybe 12. These biscuits are great on their own too but they are just fantastic with egg and cheese.



If I remember correctly, making these biscuits were quite easy as well. Sure it gets messy when rolling out the dough and cutting out the circles, but it makes a lot and it's worth it in the end. My apartment windows don't open (weird, yeah) so I don't like cooking bacon too often which is another reason I love this recipe as it cooks the bacon (and in BROWN SUGAR) in the oven. That way, I can just close the oven and lock the smell in there! Some of it at least.



Enjoy and enjoy the sun. Finally, Spring is here. And yet, I still find myself needing a coat...

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits
From Joy the Baker

6 slices of bacon
1 tbsp brown sugar
Coarse ground black pepper
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375F.

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spread bacon across baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar and black pepper. 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.
Increase oven temperature to 425F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper. Add cold butter and use your hands to quickly break the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal. In another bowl, combine egg and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring to incorporate. Once batter is nearly incorporated, add bacon and mix in.

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.

Roll or pat dough into a 1-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2×2-inch squares. Reshape and roll dough to create more biscuits with excess scraps. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Serve biscuits warm with jam or a fried egg.

They can be kept in the fridge and will last for two days. The shaped, uncooked biscuit can also be frozen. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake up in the morning.