Last year, when I ran the Disneyland Half Marathon, I figured it was a one and done race. I was there to get my Coast to Coast medal and had no plans on going back. That was until runDisney announced the Dumbo Double Dare – a 10K race on Saturday followed by a half marathon on Sunday. It’s an inaugural race and with a little bit of peer pressure, I found myself signed up. What else is new? 

Aside from spending time with friends, one of my favorite parts of traveling is trying new places to eat. So when a friend of mine asked me to find some cool places to eat in LA, I was more than happy to start the search. And that’s when I came across the Huckleberry Café in Santa Monica, best known for their maple bacon biscuits. Mmm… bacon! I love biscuits so throwing in some bacon and maple syrup was a no brainer! Unfortunately, Dumbo is months away in September and really I wasn’t sure if I could wait that long, and that’s when I decided to make a batch for myself.

A quick search on Google turned up a copy of the recipe which comes directly from Huckleberry’s pastry chef Zoe Nathan. They’re easy to make and let me say these biscuits really are quite amazing! They’ve got a wonderfully flakey and crumbly texture, perfectly moist and not at all greasy! There’s a hint of smokiness from the bacon and a nice balance of salty and sweet from the sprinkling of fleur de sel and maple syrup. They’re the perfect combination; like having breakfast in just two or three bites. Perfect for breakfast or anytime really. And try having just one when they’re warm out of the oven, I dare you!

What are some of your favorite breakfast foods?

Maple Bacon Biscuits
Yield: 24 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (1/2 pound) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-cubes
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk

Egg wash:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Biscuit topping:

• Fleur de Sel Salt, sea salt, or coarse salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions:

• In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over a medium heat for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. The bacon should be cooked but not crispy. Make sure to stir the bacon frequently to ensure it cooks evenly. Use a paper-towel lined plate to remove the excess fat from the bacon.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
• Whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the diced butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender or a fork to mix the butter into the flour until it resembles small peas.
• Stir in the cooked bacon pieces to the flour and butter mixture and then add a 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and buttermilk to the mixture. Stir continue a dough just comes together (it will be clumpy).
• On a lightly floured surface, gently press or roll the dough to 1-inch thickness. Do not knead the dough or overwork the dough. Cut the dough using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter or drinking glass into 24 pieces.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Arrange 12 biscuits on each baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart and place into the freezer for approximately 10 minutes, until the biscuits are well chilled.
• To prepare the egg wash, add the egg yolk, whole egg and cream to a small bowl and whisk together.
• Remove the biscuits from the freezer, and brush each biscuit with the egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel salt.
• Bake the biscuits for approximately 25 minutes or until they begin to brown. Remove the tray from the oven and quickly drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup over the of each biscuit and place the tray back into the oven to bake for an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Source: WhatsCookingAmerica.com