Chive n Cheddar Biscuits

Its Sunday and time for the big country style breakfast we like to do around here.  You know the kind...everyone sits together and shares everything that's going on good, bad or indifferent.  Its about bounding over food and not always so easy to do.

These biscuits are a fave and can be served at any meal....warm from the oven to melt the butter after you split them is the best.  But I digress...simple to make with more energy expended carrying out the Kitchen Aid and ingredients from the pantry than in the actual assembly.

Chive n Cheddar Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/2 C (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced 
• 3/4 C whole milk
• 1/4 C chopped fresh chives 
• 1/4 C fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 C shredded Cheddar Cheese 

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add cheese, chopped chives and parsley and give it a quick whirl to incorporate.  With the mixer on low, add the half-and-half and beat until just mixed. Add the chives and mix until just combined.

Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and knead lightly into a rectangle 3/4-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are firm. Serve warm.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

When all else fails a fresh from the oven biscuit is a nice way to finish off a bowl of soup, stew or...

Having done just enough time in the south I have an idea what a good biscuit should taste like.  Growing up my Ma only made the "sweet" biscuits and those were for strawberry shortcakes.  My friends had mom's that made the traditional biscuit for just about everything, their specialty was "Biscuit and Sausage Gravy".  What I really like is the savory biscuits with a meal.  Red Lobster does a wicked drop biscuit with garlic and a little cheese.  

Making my own from scratch has not been easy.  I don't have a "biscuit hand" IE it doesn't come naturally or easily.  That is until Alton Brown on food TV gave a demo and good explanation of how to do it.  Key is all cold wet ingredients and minimal handling with your hands so you don't melt the shortening or develop the gluten in the dough causing it to get bready and no light flakes.  

So a little searching around I came up with my own savory Cheddar Garlic Biscuit that finishes off a bowl of soup just perfect.  Certainly way better than a biscuit from a can will ever be.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

• 2 cups flour 
  
• 4 teaspoons baking powder 
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
  
• 4 tablespoons shortening
  
• 2 t minced garlic
  
• 1 t dried parsley 
  
• 1 cup buttermilk chilled* 
  
• 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese divided.
  

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

In stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and give it a couple of pulses to even out the dry ingredients. Add shortening and on med-low speed run until shortening is cut into the dry mix resembling coarse sand (about 2 minutes). Add 1/4 c cheese, minced garlic, parsley and buttermilk and mix on low speed just until the dough is just wet evenly. The dough will be very sticky. 

With spatula turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and pat out to approx 1 inch thick rectangle.  Sprinkle with 2 T cheddar cheese. gently fold dough over on itself and pat out to approx 1 inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the dough.  Gently fold over into inch thick rectangle 3 or 4 more times. 

After final fold the dough should be about 1 inch think in a 6X9 inch rectangle.  With sharp knife or bread scraper cut dough in half length wise, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Cut each long strip into 4 biscuits. Place biscuits on baking sheet. 

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

*You can substitute buttermilk with sour milk by taking 1C milk and adding 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before using.