CHEDDAR BISCUITS (inspired by Farmstead in Napa Valley)
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I am not normally a biscuit fan as they are typically dry and stale tasting, and honestly not worth the calories. That was, until I tried the Cheddar Biscuits at Farmstead in St Helena, California (Napa Valley). They are served fresh and hot with a gently crunch to the exterior and a dreamy soft and buttery interior. Along side comes a little dish of honey butter which put the biscuits even more over the top. A heavenly combination. I have been know to get an order to enjoy at the restaurant and one to take home! They are also phenomenal with a chili jam, like INNA jam's Fresno Chili jam.
I knew I had to make them at home. I searched online and came across the Two Guys From Napa blog. Farmstead was kind enough to share their recipe with them!
I made a trial batch and decided to make a few adjustments. So here's my adjusted recipe. Important to note is that the cheddar flavor is very very subtle, it almost just adds a little depth of flavor rather than adding a lot of cheese flavor.
We recently served them at our Lobster Boil and everyone raved about them, especially with the honey butter.
Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients
4 ounces cold unsalted butter, diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Blend all ingredients, except for the buttermilk together with a dough cutter. Once the butter is pea-sized, add the buttermilk. Mix until barely combined. Don’t over mix.
Portion the dough with a small ice cream scoop onto a baking sheet. Leaving some room between them as they expand slightly.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, and serve immediately, preferably with honey butter (recipe below).
Farmstead serves these up in small cast iron pans. I loved the presentation so much I copied it. You can too, here's a nice option on Amazon.
Honey Butter
1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter
2 - 3 Tablespoons of good quality honey
pinch of salt
Put butter and honey in a bowl and blend together with a fork or spoon. Mix in a small pinch of salt. Taste and add more honey or salt per your tastes. Spoon soft butter into ramekins, cover with cling wrap and store in fridge until just before you are ready to serve the biscuits.