Bacon Maple and Date Scones

This is an excellent savoury scone with added sweetness from the dates and maple syrup.

Ingredients make 15

550 g self raising flour

10 g salt

130 g cold lard or butter

160 g chopped dates

100 g maple syrup

270 g milk

200 g chopped cooked bacon

Method

Preheat oven to 200ºC fan forced (220ºC normal bake). In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Add lard or butter and use your fingers to rub until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In another bowl, mix maple syrup, bacon, dates and milk until even. Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour the liquid mixture in the center. Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together into dough. Do not over mix. Roll dough out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 25 mm. Use a 5 cm biscuit cutter to cut rounds from the dough. Place on prepared baking tray 2 cm apart and bake for approx. 12 min.

Note: Add more flavours with supplementary herbs and spices.