Cheddar Cherry Biscuits

Well my friends, it’s Monday again!  No rest for the weary, right?

Now, a couple weeks ago Jenna posted a little somethin’ about finding the perfect biscuit recipe.  And y’all?  Ever since then all I can think about is biscuits! Biscuits this, biscuits that, gee I wonder if a biscuit would be good on top of that milkshake.  Wait, did I just say that???  I didn’t really mean it…or did I?

Regardless, I needed a biscuit fix and STAT.  Since I don’t have the same culinary training Jenna has, I decided to fancy up a delicious biscuit recipe that I’ve used and loved before:  Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits.  HOWEVER, I changed up some of the ingredients.  You know, just so I wasn’t blatantly copying her.

Cheddar Cherry Biscuits

based on Ina Garten’s Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup cold milk (I used nonfat because that’s what I had, although any milk would be good)
• 1 cold egg
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp Vermont white cheddar
• 1 cup whole dried pitted cherries
• 2 Tbsp milk (used as a wash for the biscuits during the baking process)

First things first, fire up the oven.  I preheated mine to 400 even though the recipe calls for 425 because mine gets a little too hot.  PLUS the high altitude usually requires a cooler oven for more even baking.  At least that’s the word on the street.  ANYWAY…

You have to shred the cheddar.  I highly recommend grating with a box grater.  This hands-on approach ensures you burn more calories so that you can “sample” more biscuits later.  It’s all about quality control kids!

The butter needs to be DICED and it needs to be very very cold.  After I cut mine I put it in the freezer.  I was totally that kid that asked for extra credit even when I had A’s.  So sue me.

Now, I DID take pictures of all the steps, but since it was late at night when shooting (and because I didn’t set up a lighting scheme before I started cooking) most of those turned out blurry or just plain stupid.  THEREFORE, just know that according to Ina the next steps are to

“Place 2 cups of flour, the 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. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar and cherries with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese and cherries to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.  Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times.”

Those directions now lead us to this ball of goodness:

I rolled mine out to about 1/2 inch thick, then cut them out with a 2″ round cutter.  Line ‘em on a Silpat (if you don’t have this we might not be able to be friends.  OK fine I’m kidding, I love you anyway.  But you’ve never truly lived until you have one), brush with milk, and bake at 400 for 13-15 minutes.

They should come out incredibly browned, hot, and oozing butter and cheese.  And you should eat them all.  Remember the ol’ box grater thing?  Yeah, now you know why

I was making these for church, but clearly Nate and I needed to sample them.  It’s that whole quality control thing again…I can’t tarnish my baking reputation by serving untested biscuits, now can I?  Certainly not!

So the verdict?  Well, if the empty serving plate has anything to say about it then I guess it means they’re out-of-this-world amazing and you should make some…ummm…YESTERDAY

Tell me a biscuit story!  What’s your favorite biscuit topping?  Where’s the best one you’ve ever had that wasn’t homemade?  Who makes/made the best biscuits in your family? I’m down with just plain REAL butter and strawberry jam any day of the week, but the Texas in me is screaming sausage gravy too!  I don’t know where the best one at a restaurant has been, but my mom always made the best biscuits.  But then again she always makes the best everything

Tagged as: Cheddar Cherry Biscuits, Ina Garten biscuit recipe