Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Ya know, I hesitate to post yet another bread recipe because Kate and I aren't too big on carbs...  

Hahahahahaha.  Psych.  (Remember when it was cool to say that?)  We're pretty much obsessed with carbs.  And my obsession only increases with pregnancy.  Some people luck out and crave things like oranges and water.  (Who ARE you mutants anyway?)  All I want to eat is bread.  And baked potatoes.  And pasta.  Toss in some cookies.  And then some more bread.  I call it the "How to gain 50 lbs in 10 months" diet.  Thinking about writing a book...

But I know there are lots of fellow carb lovers out there, and what's not to love??  They make some of the best (and easiest) side dishes around.  Like these Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits for example.  They don't take long at all to whip up and they are SO heavenly delicious.  They're perfect for breakfast or brunch, with soup, or as a yummy side at pretty much any bbq.  (Totally pairing these with babyback ribs, grilled corn, and fresh lemonade come summer time!)

Try them out!  Let's cook...

Pretty basic ingredients here.   One of the tricks for good biscuits is to make sure all of your ingredients are COLD. 

Before you mix up your dry ingredients, take a spoonful of your flour and mix it with your grated cheese.

 This will prevent the cheese from sticking to itself and then it helps distribute it throughout the dough.


Start by combining the flour, baking powder (a whole tablespoon of it!) and salt.  Then cut your cold butter into chunks and cut it into the dry mixture.

(What the heck does that mean?  Click here to find out.)  You can use one of these options, including popping it all in a stand mixer like I'm doing in these photos.  The trick with the stand mixer is to not over-beat it.  You want the butter in pieces the size of peas.  If you over-mix it will quickly turn into crumbs.  It won't be ruined, but your biscuits won't rise as well.  (Confession:  I totally over-mixed in these photos.  It's not my fault.  I swear the moment I have something I need to keep my eyes on, my children decide it's a good time to start the house on fire or something.)



Once the butter is the size of small peas (ya know, as opposed to really large peas...)  add in the buttermilk and the egg.

Mix it until JUST combined.  Don't over-mix! 

Then add in that grated cheese.  Even if you don't like plain sharp cheese, it's SO much better to use sharp cheddar in things like this because it allows the cheese flavor to come through.  You probably won't be able to really taste the cheese if you use a plain, mild cheddar.  The extra-sharp in this recipe tastes amazing.

Once again, mix just until combined.  Are you noticing a trend here, need I say it one last time, don't over-mix! 

If your dough is really wet, you can add a little more flour at this point.  Just be careful to not add too much.  You're going to add more when you shape it so don't be scared if the dough is on the soft side.

Turn it out onto a floured work surface.  Flour all sides lightly.  If you need to, add enough flour for the dough to hold together.

Roll it out into a rectangle about 10 x 5 inches.

Cut it once down the middle and then 3 times down the other direction like in the picture below.  These are actually really large biscuits, you can easily make 2 cuts instead of that one lengthwise and get 12 biscuits.

Spread out the biscuits on parchment paper

Give them a quick egg wash and then bake them up!  They'll get even taller than they appear in my photos if you don't over-mix them like I did :)

 

The little bits of cheddar woven throughout add an amazing flavor dimension, plus they look pretty too! 

And the insides are airy, light, and perfectly flaky.

 

Ina Garten served these for brunch with scrambled eggs.  That combo would be heavenly!  As I mentioned before, they'd also make a perfect accompaniment to soup or a back yard bbq meal.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
adapted from Ina Garten

2 C flour, plus more as needed
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 C real butter (1 1/2  sticks)
1/2 C buttermilk
1 large or extra larg egg
1 C grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
Egg Wash:  1 egg, beaten with 1 T water or milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Measure out 2 Cups of flour and then remove a spoonful of it and mix it with your grated cheese.  Set floured cheese aside.

Place the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. Add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly 3-4 times.  Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles.  If preferred, cut to make 12 smaller biscuits.  Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with the egg wash, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through.  Serve hot or warm.