Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I never miss it. On the rare occasion that I do, stay away because I turn into one cranky, hmmm, “lady” with an empty belly in the morning. Where I come from, breakfast does not come out of a colorful box with a splash of milk added. Dominicans actually have the same meal they have for dinner for breakfast…and I love it!!! My Americano husband can’t comprehend the notion of heavy, starchy vegetables and cured meats to start the day but nothing makes this chica’s belly happier.
To keep peace in the house, I try to figure out ways to spice up eggs without the addition of plantain or yuca. It recently dawned to me that I had never tried to make biscuits from scratch as a replacement for toast or those Pillsbury Crescents I can’t get enough of. So with my copy of Nick Malgieri’s The Modern Baker in-hand I proceeded to make some of the most delicious biscuits I ever sunk my teeth into.
The key to making this cutie is to keep the butter cold. That means, you can’t handle the dough too much. In addition, USE GOOD CHEESE. Sorry for the yelling but stay away from the processed crap. I know the good stuff is more expensive but a little goes a long way in this recipe as by giving it a whiz in the food processor along with the butter it gets completely absorbed in the dough. And completely absorbed in the dough means you will have incredible cheese flavor in every bite.
Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper (Because I heart black pepper)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces Vermont White Cheddar, broken into chunks
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus 1-2 tablespoons, if neededDirections:
Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, pepper and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well.
Pulse cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade about 8 times to combine. You may need to scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula but make sure to not over process as you want the butter to remain cold and not soften too much. Add flour mixture to the cheese and butter mixture and pulse another 6 to 8 times to combine thoroughly. Add milk and pulse again 3 to 4 times until dough is combined but does not form a ball.
Invert dough onto a floured surface. If there are dry areas in the dough, sprinkle with up to 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Working quickly and using your hands, fold dough onto itself a few times until it's texture is smoother.
Lightly flour the dough and press into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured round cutter up to 2 1/2 inches in diameter cut out the biscuits pressing straight down as you cut. Arrange the cut biscuits on a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray about 1 inch apart. Press the scraps together and cut more biscuits.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until risen and golden.
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Azúcar — August 11, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
Are you kidding me? These look amazing.
Megan — August 11, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
You mentioned plaintains – that's something I would love to know how to cook. I tried one recently and was delighted with the flavor.But to me, biscuits are good anytime of day – morning, noon or night. And adding cheese just makes them more delectable.
Summer — August 11, 2010 @ 8:13 pm
That breakfast sandwich looks great! I think I might have to try these this weekend. I just happen to have white cheddar cheese in the house – I think it must be a sign
Paris Pastry — August 11, 2010 @ 8:14 pm
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! Today I ate chocolate chip pancakes – naughty, I know! Usually I detest savory breakfast, but I'll make an exception for biscuits any time.
Amy of Sing For Your Supper — August 11, 2010 @ 9:52 pm
Ok, #1.) Biscuits made with cheddar and black pepper- awesome. #2.) Making a breakfast sandwich with said biscuits….BRILLIANT!!
LaChelle @ SugarDuchess — August 11, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
I'm totally the same way with breakfast. Love love love it. Your biscuits look fantastic, they're so tall and soft and beautiful!
Damaris — August 11, 2010 @ 11:14 pm
I'm a savory girl. I love buiscuits specially with cheddar
5 Star Foodie — August 11, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
These biscuits sound just scrumptious with cheddar and I love the addition of black pepper!
Bridgett — August 12, 2010 @ 12:08 am
I really need to be better about eating breakfast. These little beauties would easily change my mind and get me going. What a great recipe to start the day.
Velva — August 12, 2010 @ 12:17 am
These biscuits rock! I love biscuits and would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I completely understand your idea of breakfast and would relish in it myself.Also, cheers to using good quality and cheese and not that "processed crap" !
Lauren (Healthy Delicious) — August 12, 2010 @ 12:28 am
omg these sound amazing! I've been on a huge bicuit kick lately.also, I first read this as cherry black pepper biscuits. Which these aren't But that might be an idea to play with…
scrambledhenfruit — August 12, 2010 @ 2:41 am
I'll have to try these- We love cheddar biscuits, but I've never added black pepper. I heart black pepper too!
Diana's Cocina — August 12, 2010 @ 3:38 am
Looks delicious and I love black pepper! Much more exciting than regular plain biscut, the sammie is calling my name!
The Duo Dishes — August 12, 2010 @ 4:01 am
You have to have breakfast. It's the only way to get going. Have you ever frozen your butter and shredded it? It's an awesome way to keep it cold and flakey in biscuits.
Mary — August 12, 2010 @ 3:50 pm
Eliana, these look simply delicious. I love the addition of pepper to what can often be boring biscuits. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Jessica — August 13, 2010 @ 3:01 pm
MMMmmmmm. now I am craving my favorite buttermilk biscuits and it’s 3pm in the afternoon (neither dinner nor breakfast). I wonder if I have time to run out for buttermilk, make it bake home, bake the biscuits and make it to school on time for Friday night classes. Must have biscuits now!
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum — August 13, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
I am totally going to make these! I have friends coming over for brunch next week and I wanted to make them some little breakfast sandwiches – this is perfect! Thanks!
Kimberly — August 14, 2010 @ 7:27 pm
Cheddar black pepper biscuits . . . mmmmmmm.
I’m from the South, where biscuit making is a high art, and though many of my female relatives make biscuits as a matter of course on a regular basis, I don’t. Truth be told, I feel like it might be too difficult to pull off, like my other baking efforts to date.
I have, however, made biscuits from — gasp! — a mix before, and been mighty satisfied with the results. My easy recipe came from Giada de Laurentiis — Pancetta and Fontina Biscuits — and now I make them for my family every year at Christmas, and they’ve been a big hit.
Still, I’d love to perfect the skill of making biscuits from scratch. : )
Joanne — August 15, 2010 @ 9:30 am
I love the new look babe! Guess this means you are on vacation…hope you’re having fun!
I’m a breakfast kind of girl myself. You do not want to mess with me before coffee and oatmeal. Trust me.
I could so go for a biscuit (or five) now…
Shandy — August 15, 2010 @ 1:54 pm
I just bought The Modern Baker through Amazon a couple of weeks ago. Love the cookbook! Breakfast is wonderful but usually kept only for weekends in our kitchen. Hubby leaves for work by 4:45 a.m. and his tummy is not awake yet.
LOVE these biscuits! Your pictures are gorgeous as usual and make us want to open the cookbook and get started. Hugs!
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction — August 15, 2010 @ 9:04 pm
LOVE these biscuits! I know my hubby would really love them because he’s a black pepper addict.
jenn manzetti — August 16, 2010 @ 10:09 am
Love the website design! very sophicated. This recipe sounds amazing…carbs & cheese = heaven!
Barbara — August 16, 2010 @ 10:14 am
Mmm … cheddar and black-pepper anything rocks my world, Eliana. These biscuits with an egg would make a great start to any day.
Hungry Sofia — August 16, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
That breakfast sandwich looks incredible!
Kerstin — August 16, 2010 @ 11:37 pm
I’m all about breakfast sandwiches and especially love them on biscuits! Yours is making my mouth water!
spike — August 17, 2010 @ 1:25 pm
one of my motos in life should be “use good cheese”
Mindy — September 5, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
These biscuits look fantastic!
Lisa @ The Cooking Bride — September 10, 2010 @ 9:18 pm
I LOVE biscuits. Until recently, I only made biscuits using Bisquick. Then one morning I discovered I was out of Bisquick, so I had to make biscuits from scratch. The addition of the cold butter made all the difference and I will never resort to Bisquick biscuits again!
Maureen — April 26, 2011 @ 7:13 pm
I haven’t had a *real* biscuit since moving to Australia. Biscuits here are cookies. Scones are not real biscuits.
You’ve encouraged me to get my American on and make bacon and egg biscuits for breakfast this weekend.
(no, McDonald’s doesn’t serve biscuits here.. English muffins only)