Bacon-Cheddar Scones

Gosh, I'm awfully sorry for not posting a recipe last night. Between Frankenstorm Sandy and college applications I lost track of time and next thing I knew I was back in school with no sweets. To make it up to you, I thought I ought to make TWO recipes today! With the extra hour the clocks have given us, I have a whole new hour to bake in! It's not even 10 and I am ALREADY more productive than I've been in perhaps the past month. I decided to start us out with a nice savory scone recipe - something I've never tried before. 
Scones are wonderful. They are as versatile as muffins, but the texture is more interesting and the flavors more poignant. I believe some get intimidated by the idea of making scones, but they are certainly as easy as a good muffin recipe and, personally, I think a lot more enjoyable to much. 

From cookinglight.timeinc

 Before we began, here's a couple helpful hints that any scone-maker should know:
1. Don't over mix. If you do the scone will be denser, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the desired consistancy is light and fluffy.
2. Before I begin making scones, I always take a moment to take a deep breath and tell myself that there is only so much you can control in sconery. Scones have their own personality- by nature they need to be bumpy and uneven, therefore you can only control their appearance to a certain extent.

The Goal

Oven Temp: 400
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 22-27 minutes  
Ready In: 50 minutes

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (you can freeze for 15 minutes before needing “chilled” butter)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 8 oz)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices cooked and chopped bacon
 3/4  and 1/2 cup buttermilk (you'll be using them separately)
1 large egg
2 tsp water
Preheat oven to 400.
Because I had no pre-cooked bacon, I started frying it before I began and the timing was perfect. My dad, being a genius, rolls up the bacon before we put in the freezer so that you can take individual pieces out without having to defrost the lot.

\In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Cut in butter slowly using a  pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas. Stir in cheese. 

Add green onions, bacon and the 3/4 cup of the buttermilk to flour and cheese mixture.

  Mix by hand until all ingredients are just incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon of buttermilk at a time, until dough is pliable and can be formed into a ball. Stir as lightly and as little as possible. Remove dough from bowl and place it on a lightly floured flat surface. At this point the recipe says to pat dough into a ball and use a well-floured rolling pin to flatten the dough into a circle about 8 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick and cut dough into 8 to 10 equal wedges. I prefer to scoop up palm-sized balls and flatten them into rough rectangular shapes. Whatever you do, it will be okay.
Whisk egg and water in a small mixing bowl to combine. Brush each wedge with egg wash. Place scones on a Silpat-lined baking sheet and bake for 22 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown and no longer sticky in the middle.

Serve warm.