When I was planning this menu, I thought about all those seductive looking Southern food spreads that always include homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with a slice of country ham or pork and served with a yummy sweet-savory spread.

I have to confess that I’ve never made biscuits. I’ve eaten my share but never actually made them. I love the challenge of making something new so I committed to buttermilk biscuits. I decided that the biscuits had to be good enough to eat alone.

If you come from a long line of biscuit makers, you may be horrified to learn that I used all butter and no other shortening. I also enhanced the flavor with the addition of white cheddar cheese, paprika and cayenne pepper.

These biscuits definitely passed the “eat alone” test. In fact, my friends couldn’t stop eating them, alone or with a bit of jam. For this party, I split them in half, smeared each half with a generous layer of peach preserves, topped with a thin slice of spiced pork loin and finished with some caramelized purple onions. I served them open face. A feast for the eyes and a treat for the taste buds!

P.S.: I tried making them ahead and freezing and they were still great.

 

BUTTERMILK CHEDDAR BISCUITS

EVENT: Apps & Alcohol

SERVES: Yield 20-27 Biscuits Depending on Height

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

2 teaspoons sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cut into 1” pieces

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated white cheddar cheese *

 

Equipment

Baking sheets lined with parchment paper

1 3/4” biscuit / cookie cutter

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place all dry ingredients in food processor and pulse to combine.

3. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles corse meal.

4. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese (reserve 2 tablespoons for later use) and pulse 2 times.

5. With motor running, pour the buttermilk through the feed tube just until it starts to form dough.

6. DON’T OVERWORK THE DOUGH.

7. Remove from bowl and place on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a circle ¾-inch thick.

8. Using a cutter, cut out as many biscuits as possible.

9. Gather scraps and form into a ball and flatten into a circle 3/4” thick. Cut out additional biscuits.

10. Place on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons cheese.

11. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

12. To make ahead, wrap airtight and freeze. To reheat, place in 350-degree oven and bake 8-10 minutes.

 

* A NOTE: I purchase the white cheddar cheese at Costco.