Showing posts with label quick breads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quick breads. Show all posts
I think I have a favorite new biscuit recipe! I made these yesterday to take to a friend's place for dinner and they were a resounding success!
I had been watching Ina Garten on the television the other day and she was showing this guy how to make breakfast. She made were these fabulous sounding buttermilk cheddar biscuits to go along with scrambled eggs.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
I was invited out for dinner yesterday and I thought they would be a great thing to bring. I am so pleased that I made them because they are the best cheese biscuits ever!
I knew they would be because one . . . Ina Garten . . . and two . . . cheese . . . and three biscuits. I couldn't go wrong!
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Not only are the best cheese biscuits ever but they ended up being the easiest biscuits I ever made! She put them all together in her stand mixer, a process which really intrigued me.
I just had to make them!
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
My friend Diana has sent me a few cookbooks that she wasn't using last year before Christmas. One of them was Barefoot Contessa back to basics. I found the recipe in there and adapted it use both normal and British measurements.
I like to do that, and to be honest, I always use the weight method of baking now. I got used to it when I was in the UK and you don't get much more accurate than weighing things out. A gram is a gram is a gram. Cups however, are not always exactly the same.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
Another thing I really liked about the recipe was that there is no waste, and no cutting and remixing the scraps to cut out more. You simply just pat the whole thing out to a large rectangle and then cut it into smaller rectangles.
I have always tried to get as many biscuits as I can from the first cut when it comes to making biscuits. The recuts are never quite as tender or the same as the first cuts. There are no recuts with this recipe so every biscuit was perfect!
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BUTTERMILK CHEDDAR BISCUITS
Simple ingredients put together in a really scrumptious way!
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) (approximately) plain all purpose flour
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (180g) cold butter, diced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 cold extra large egg (I used two small)
- 1 cup (120g) grated extra strong cheddar cheese
You will also need: (all optional)
- 1 egg beaten with 1 TBS water
- additional grated cheese to sprinkle on top
- flaked sea salt to sprinkle
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
You will note that the butter, eggs and buttermilk are all cold for this recipe. You also need to shake the buttermilk to make sure it hasn't separated. If your butter, eggs and milk are all cold you will have the best results.
I grate my own cheddar for this and used a lovely sharp farmhouse cheddar. Mine happened to be orange colored, but a white would work just as well. I really love the flavor of sharp cheddar. Rich and crumbly. I use the large holes on my box grater.
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I was actually a bit surprised that there was no baking soda in the mix. I had always been taught that you need a bit of baking soda to react with acidic ingredients. This was probably counteracted in this recipe by the use of 1 full TBS of baking powder.
That is not a misprint. You actually will be using 1 TBS of baking powder. I was a bit concerned that using so much would make them taste overly chemically, but you could not taste the baking powder in the least.
Actually most biscuit recipes call for 4 tsp of baking powder and that is not far off from being a TBS anyways.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK CHEDDAR BISCUITS
This really was one of the easiest biscuit recipes I have ever made, I kid you not! You do need a good stand mixer, but I suppose you could also make them by hand if you don't have a stand mixer.
I love my kitchen aid stand mixer. I was so blessed to have been given it by a friend when I first moved back to Canada. I was blessed many times over by a great many people during that time and I hope that none of them ever think I took any of it for granted.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a baking sheet with some baking paper. Set aside.
Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Give it a brief whir on low. Add the butter and mix on low until the butter is the size of peas. (Its like magic)
Beat the buttermilk and egg together with a fork. With the mixer still on low, add the buttermilk to the flour/butter mixture and mix only until just moistened.
Mix about 1 TBS of flour with the grated cheese. With the mixer still on low add the cheese to the dough, mixing only until roughly combined.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
Tip out onto a well floured board and knead gently to bring together about six times. Pat out into a 5 by 10 inch rectangle which is about 1 inch thick.
Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 8 biscuits, making 1 cup lengthwise and 4 crosswise. Place the rectangles onto the baking sheet leaving plenty of space between.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with some egg wash, taking care not to let any drip down the sides. Sprinkle each with a bit of cheese and some flakes of salt if using.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until well risen, golden brown and cooked through.
Serve hot or warm. We actually enjoyed them at room temperature about six hours after I baked them and they were gorgeous!
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
We actually enjoyed these with some cold cuts, potato salad, coleslaw, as well as sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. There was nothing left. These were gobbled up!
I did not put flaked salt on the top of them as I felt that the cheese was salty enough. I also didn't use her full amount of salt because my butter was salted butter. If you are using unsalted butter you might want to add an additional 1/2 tsp.
.JPG "Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits")
If you are fan of biscuits there is no shortage of biscuit recipes on here. Baking powder biscuits are one of my favorite things to make and to eat! Here are a few samples of what you will find:
MILE HIGH GREEK YOGURT BISCUITS - Another square biscuit with no waste. These are nice and tall and flaky! A real favorite!
QUICK AND EASY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS FOR TWO - A small batch recipe for the small family. Delicious and flaky and lacking nothing in the least as compared to their full batch counterpart!
BLUEBERRY BUTTERSWIM BISCUITS - rich and buttery with a beautiful crumb. These are filled with lovely sweet pockets of blueberry!
Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits
Yield: 8
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
These are light, flaky, rich and delicious! Just what you would expect from Ina Garten. They go together quickly using a stand mixer and there is no waste.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) (approximately) plain all purpose flour
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (180g) cold butter, diced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 cold extra large egg (I used two small)
- 1 cup (120g) grated extra strong cheddar cheese
You will also need: (all optional)
- 1 egg beaten with 1 TBS water
- additional grated cheese to sprinkle on top
- flaked sea salt to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a baking sheet with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Give it a brief whir on low. Add the butter and mix on low until the butter is the size of peas.
- Beat the buttermilk and egg together with a fork.
- With the mixer still on low, add the buttermilk to the flour/butter mixture and mix only until just moistened.
- Mix about 1 TBS of flour with the grated cheese. With the mixer still on low add the cheese to the dough, mixing only until roughly combined.
- Tip out onto a well floured board and knead gently to bring together about six times. Pat out into a 5 by 10 inch rectangle which is about 1 inch thick.
- Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 8 biscuits, making 1 cup lengthwise and 4 crosswise. Place the rectangles onto the baking sheet leaving plenty of space between.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with some egg wash, taking care not to let any drip down the sides. Sprinkle each with a bit of cheese and some flakes of salt if using.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until well risen, golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve hot or warm.
Thank you so much for visiting. Do come again!
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.JPG "Cheese & Black Pepper Potato Scones")
I think scones are one of my favorite things to bake (and eat!). Who doesn't love a scone? Quick and easy to make, they are perfectly at home and fit in with all types of social and private occasions.
Sweet scones are lovely for teas and genteel like get-togethers, whereas savory ones love homey occasions and going to picnics.
I especially love savory scones such as these incredibly tasty potato and cheese scones I am sharing today. They are quite simple and yet so delicious!
These fabulous Parmesan & Black Pepper Potato Scones are perfect for homey occasions, buffets and picnics, and would go wonderfully with cold meats, salads, soups, etc.
They are light, fluffy and savory, with a bit of the bite from the pepper. They area also wonderful packed into lunches. Split, butter and fill with a bit of ham or other sliced cold meat.
They would be beautiful as part of a Ploughman's Lunch. What's that you say? Well, I'll tell you.
If you do any sort of travelling in the UK and happen to stop at a Pub for lunch you will more than likely see a Ploughman's Lunch on the menu. I would be most surprised if you didn't.
At it's very simplest, it comprises a nothing more than a thick wedge of crusty bread, a large chunk of tasty cheese and a pickled onion. It came into favor at a time when most pub's didn't actually serve much food at all. So you would get a bit of this and a bit of that.
Nowadays pub's are mainly eating places, so it's become much more than that. Usually there will be a bit of salad, some cold meat, some pickle, a good cheese, maybe two, and some sort of bread to enjoy along with everything else.
I have to say it makes for a very easy meal to prepare at home on a hot summer day.
These Cheese & Black Pepper Potato Scones would be very much at home with something like that! They would it in beautifully.
Just look at how tall they rise up in the oven. They are light and fluffy, with a beautiful texture and great flavor. I would consider them to be perfect for all of your savory scone-needs!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESE & BLACK PEPPER POTATO SCONES
They are a bit of a cheat in a way in that they use instant potato flakes. If you are like me that's not a problem I keep them in my larder at all times. They come in handy for things like these scones, and to use as a thickener for some soups and gravies.
- 1/2 cup (50g) instant mashed potato flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6 TBS cold butter
- 1 cup (240ml) sour milk
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 TBS cracked black pepper
- 4 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
To finish:
- cream to brush
- coarsely grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle
You can sour your own milk very easily. Just put a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar into a cup measure and add the milk as needed to come up to the full volume of what is needed in the recipe.
Leave to sit for five or ten minutes to allow the milk to sour and clabber. Perfect!
Everything else is pretty self explanatory. Do grate your own Parmesan cheese on the large holes of a box grated so that you get a nice coarse texture. This is one instance where you don't want it to be really fine.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE & BLACK PEPPER POTATO SCONES
Nothing could be easier so long as you follow the cardinal rule of scone and biscuit making. Don't handle the dough too much! A light hand is the trick!
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Measure the potato flakes, sugar, flour, baking powder and soda into a bowl. Add the salt and whisk all together. Grate in the cold butter, add the cheese and stir all together. Stir in the black pepper. Add the milk all at once and stir with a fork to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple of times. Pat out to a round, about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 inch sharp round cutter, stamp out rounds and place a few inches apart on the baking tray. Gently knead together the scraps and repeat until all of your dough is used up. Try to get as many rounds stamped out of the first cutting as you can as subsequent cuts will not be as tender.
Brush the tops with a little cream and sprinkle with some more Parmesan.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
I actually have quite a few different versions of scones here on The English Kitchen. Some savory, some sweet. Here are some you might enjoy:
CHERRY & VANILLA SCONES - Flaky light scones flavored with vanilla and studded throughout with bits of candied cherries. Delicious!
CARROT CAKE DROP SCONES - Flecked with sweet bits of carrot and studded with sweet sticky raisins . . . lightly flavored with warm baking spices, and glazed with a sweet glaze.
Whether you choose to bake a savory scone today, a rolled scone, a sweet scone or a rolled out scone, why not bake your family some lovin' from your oven today!
Cheese & Black Pepper Potato Scones
Yield: 1 dozen
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 27 Min
These are fabulous served with cold meats and cheese, or with soups.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (50g) instant mashed potato flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6 TBS cold butter
- 1 cup (240ml) sour milk
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) plain flour
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (Baking soda)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 TBS cracked black pepper
- 4 TBS coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
To finish:
- cream to brush
- coarsely grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Measure the potato flakes, sugar, flour, baking powder and soda into a bowl. Add the salt and whisk all together.
- Grate in the cold butter, add the cheese and stir all together. Stir in the black pepper.
- Add the milk all at once and stir with a fork to make a soft dough.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple of times. Pat out to a round, about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 inch sharp round cutter, stamp out rounds and place a few inches apart on the baking tray.
- Gently knead together the scraps and repeat until all of your dough is used up. Try to get as many rounds stamped out of the first cutting as you can, as subsequent cuts will not be as tender.
- Brush the tops with a little cream and sprinkle with some more Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
One of my favorite stories from my childhood has to be Anne of Green Gables. I just adore this wonderful little girl created by Lucy Maud Montgomery. She is feisty and full of character and full of love.
I think she reminded me a bit of myself. I was also born on Prince Edward Island not far from the Green Gables homestead.
We moved away from the Island when I was about 18 months old and so the only way I could know the Island was largely through the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne.
To a little girl with a vivid imagination who loved to read, the book opened up a whole new world to me, and one which I had a connection with in many ways.
As an adult I have visited PEI many times. My middle son lives there and my ex husband's family was from there so we often went to visit the in-laws. My son married a PEI girl.
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
The recipe which I am sharing today for Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits comes from the cookbook entitled, The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook, charming recipes from Anne and Her Friends in Avonlea by Kate MacDonald and LM Montgomery.
As soon as I saw this book I wanted to buy it. As a child, I often noted the foods mentioned in the Green Gables book and used to dream about what they might taste like.
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
They had such fanciful names . . . Raspberry Cordial, Marilla's Plum Pudding, Matthew's yummy Biscuit Sandwich, Orange Angel Cake.
I was a child who read voraciously and even then food interested me. I used to dream about Midnight feasts and picnics, cherry cakes, ginger beer (from the Enid Blyton Books), and the birthday cake that was made for the mother by the children in the Five Little Peppers and How They Grew.
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"Mrs. Rachel and Marilla sat comfortably in the parlor while Anne got the tea and made hot biscuits that were light and white enough to defy even Mrs. Rachel's criticism." ~Chpt. XXX
Do take note that these are not British Biscuits, but North American Biscuits. (In the UK a biscuit is a cookie, not a tea biscuit such as you see here.)
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AFTERNOON RUBY TEA BISCUITS
Ordinary kitchen baking cupboard ingredients and some jam.
- 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (48g) white vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup (65g) butter
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (160g) red jam or jelly
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
I do think they would work well with all butter, and would be even richer.
In the UK vegetable shortening can be found in the chiller cabinet. The brand I used to use was called TREX.
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
HOW TO MAKE AFTERNOON RUBY TEA BISCUITS
These were very simple to make. I was a bit concerned that the ring tops would not adhere to the bottoms but they stuck beautifully without adding any water or egg to moisten the edges. I dare say to do so would mean they did not rise as beautifully.
Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with some baking paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
Cut both fats into bits and drop them into the bowl. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
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Stir the milk in with a fork until you have a soft ball of dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 to 12 times.
Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.
Use a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamp out 24 rounds, trying to cut them as close together as possible. Use a sharp up and down motion and do not twist the dough. If you need to gather the scraps to roll out and cut out more rounds to make the 24 you have to do what you have to do. The second cuts will not be as nice for the first. (I suggest you use the second cuts as bottoms.)
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
Place half of the rounds (12) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each.
Using a 2 inch cutter, cut a two inch circle out of the middle of the remaining rounds. (Set these aside.) Place one of the rings on top of each of the 12 biscuits on the baking sheet. Spoon 1 tsp of jam into the center of each.
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
The rounds you cut out can be stacked together in pairs and baked separately as small biscuits.
Bake all of the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Serve warm or cool. These are delicious.
.JPG "Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits")
Just look at how light and flaky these turned out! They were beautiful and rich with the butter and the jam provided a lovely sweet touch.
I sat here with my cup of Orange & Honey tea, wishing I had some clotted cream to enjoy with them, but enjoying every mouthful regardless!
Some other North American Biscuit Recipes you might enjoy are:
MILE HIGH GREEK YOGURT BISCUITS - When it comes to flaky, biscuits don't get much flakier than these delicious morsels!
CHEDDAR, BACON & CHIVE BISCUITS - Rich and flaky and filled with lots of tangy cheddar cheese, smoky bits of bacon and herby chives.
EASY 7-UP BISCUITS - These are the BEST biscuits! So easy to make and quick to make as well. Light and fluffy!
Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits
Yield: Makes 12 tea biscuits
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min
A delicious jam centered tea biscuit adapted from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook by Kate MacDonald.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 TBS sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (48g) white vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup (65g) butter
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (160g) red jam or jelly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with some baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
- Cut both fats into bits and drop them into the bowl. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- Stir the milk in with a fork until you have a soft ball of dough.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 to 12 times.
- Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Use a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamp out 24 rounds, trying to cut them as close together as possible. Use a sharp up and down motion and do not twist the dough. If you need to gather the scraps to roll out and cut out more rounds to make the 24 you have to do what you have to do. The second cuts will not be as nice for the first. (I suggest you use these as bottoms.)
- Place half of the rounds (12) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each.
- Using a 2 inch cutter, cut a two inch circle out of the middle of the remaining rounds. (Set these aside.) Place one of the rings on top of each of the 12 biscuits on the baking sheet. Spoon 1 tsp of jam into the center of each.
- The rounds you cut out can be stacked together in pairs and baked separately as small biscuits.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Serve warm or cool. These are delicious.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again
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