Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, ground pepper and baking powder. Add the grated cheese and cooked, chopped bacon and toss to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, Dijon mustard and bacon fat until well combined. Add grated apple and chives and stir to combine
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a fork, mix until just combined. If the mixture is too dry, add an additional splash of milk.
Press the dough out on a flat, clean, floured surface. Do not use a rolling pin for this as it may prevent the scones from rising. Once it is ¼ inch thick, fold the dough over on itself once. This will give the finished scones a classic 'break' in the middle so they will split easily (to drizzle butter on!).
Cut your scones out using a round cutter or the edge of a large glass. Lay scones on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until risen and golden brown.
Recipe by Port and Fin at https://portandfin.com/cheddar-bacon-scones-with-apple-chives/