Cranberry Bacon Brunch Scones with Cranberry-Pecan Cream Cheese
Ingredients
1 6 ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Cherry Juice Infused Dried Cranberries 1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Cran•Cherry® Cherry Cranberry Juice Drink 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons honey 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter 5 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 6 slices thick-cut bacon, crisply cooked and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces 2 green onions, finely chopped 3 large eggs 3/4 cup buttermilk
Steps
Combine dried cranberries and juice drink in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 1 minute or until hot. Stir together cream cheese and honey in medium bowl until smooth; fold in pecans. With slotted spoon, remove 1/3 cup plumped dried cranberries and fold into cream cheese mixture. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 1 large or 2 small baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Using vegetable grater, grate butter into flour mixture. Stir with fork until butter is well coated. Add Cheddar; stir to coat. Stir in bacon and onions. Combine eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Stir in remaining plumped dried cranberries and all juices. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop 10 large mounds of batter 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and centers are done. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Split scones; serve with cranberry-pecan cream cheese. (If cream cheese mixture is too firm, soften slightly in microwave.) Makes 10 servings. 2009 Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest Finalist Patrice Hurd Bemidji, MN