Heirloom Tomato Bacon Shortcakes
I wait for them all year- heirloom tomatoes. They are truly my favorite greenmarket find and the moment I see them in all their colorful beauty I can’t help but go a little crazy. For days I’m eating nothing but sliced tomatoes and salads lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon. It seems like shame to bake with these beauties and take away that delicious sweet fresh taste, so I was on the hunt for a way to use them in a savory baked good. Luckily The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
was to the rescue as Deb makes a version of this that looked just perfect. (It’s actually on the cover of the cookbook if you have it!)She uses scallions instead of bacon, but I had some in the fridge and I was fresh out of scallions so it seemed like just the thing to do. The crispy bacon really rounded these out for me and added the perfect amount of smokey saltiness. I also- skipped the vinegar in the salad dressing and simply used lemon juice and olive oil- just like my parents always dressed out salads at home. I thought these couldn’t have been more perfect!
The original recipe called for 3-inch round biscuits, which would make these a nice lunch or appetizer. I chose to make them even smaller- using a 2-inch biscuit cutter. The goal was a little snack that could be eaten in a couple bites, perfect for a cocktail party or appetizer spread.
This is the perfect snack for me to have made in honor of my friend Rachel’s (from Rachel Cooks) 30th birthday this week!! A few bloggers have gotten together to make some “Drinks and Little Bites” in honor of her special day. Rachel is one of the kindest, funniest and most generous bloggers I know- who is more deserving of a special birthday shout out?? It would be so fun to get together with these girls for a mock-tail and finger food- but until then- our virtual party will have to do. Happy Birthday Lady!!!
Check out our other party-goers and their fabulous drinks and snacks:
Red Cherry Sangria from Sam (Sweet Remedy)
Blueberry Limeade from (Missy’s Kitchen)
Basil Pesto Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts from Liz (The Lemon Bowl)
Homemade Blueberry Vodka and Lemon Cocktail from Brandy (Nutmeg Nanny)
Cherry Bourbon Soda from Heather (Farmgirl Gourmet)
Easy S’mores Popcorn Pops from Shanna (Pineapple Coconut)
Heirloom Tomato Bacon Shortcakes with Whipped Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 4 slices extra crispy bacon- chopped., save about 1 slice worth for sprinkling.
- 1 cup whole milk
Tomato Salad
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound heirloom tomatoes, chopped. (I used about 3 tomatoes)
- Toppings
- 3 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
- 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
- extra bacon crumbles
Instructions
- To make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large, wide bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Stir in the bacon. Add the milk and stir until evenly moistened. Pat out to 3/4- to 1-inch thickness, adding a little more flour if needed, and cut into 2-inch rounds, re-forming the scraps as needed until all of the dough is used up. Arrange the biscuits on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 1-2 inches apart. Bake until they are golden brown on top, for about 15 minutes.
For the tomatoes:
- Add the chopped tomatoes to a medium-sized bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- To make the whipped goat cheese, in a separate bowl use an electric mixer to whip the cream until peaks form. Add the goat cheese and beat until the cheese topping is light and fluffy.
- To assemble the shortcakes, split each warm biscuit in half. Generously spoon each half with the tomato salad and its dressing. Dollop with whipped goat cheese and sprinkle with bacon. Eat right away or the biscuits will get soggy from tomato juice.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbookhttp://www.amazon.com
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
It’s a little bit ridiculous (and awesome) how many heirlooms I have sitting in my kitchen right now. Absolutely loving them….and loving these shortcakes!
I love that you made savory shortcakes! I adore heirloom tomatoes, bacon and goat cheese too! My husband just bought some heirloom tomatoes yesterday and I have goat cheese and bacon in my fridge right now. I think these are meant to happen in my kitchen soon!!
Bacon was an excellent choice! Almost like a BLT which is one of my favorites. These look soooo good and would be awesome for brunch too. Thank you SO much for participating in my party. You all mean the world to me. xo
Tomatoes are my absolute favorite summer fruit. This is the perfect party food. Yum!
I love that you took a dessert and turned it into something savory.
Fun! What a good idea! These look fantastic.
Oh my goodness, this sounds so good! I don’t know why savory shortcakes never occurred to me before. Yum!! These sound fantastic.
Oh wow, these are too perfect!! Such a great idea :)