I created these biscuits for the Los Angeles County Fair, August 2013 Baking Powder/Quick Bread competition. They won Best of Division.
3 cups (1 lb.) unbleached flour 1 cup (5.25 oz.) bleached flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup (3 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup (4 1/2 oz.) sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and diced 4 cloves of garlic, minced and sauteed in olive oil until golden 1/4 cup (1/2 oz.) minced fresh dill 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 2 tablespoons (1/4 oz.) minced fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 1/4 cups (18 oz.) heavy cream
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Add the butter, cutting it in with a pastry cutter or with your fingertips until it is the size of lima beans. Mix in the heavy cream until the flour is moist.
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and gather it into a ball. Roll into a rectangle about 9” x 12”. It will be about an inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter (this is one turn). Roll out the dough again and fold into thirds again from the rough edges (this is the second turn). Do a total of four turns. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle so that it is about 3/4” thick. Cut out with a round cutter, about 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Or, if you prefer, you can cut the biscuits into squares about 2 x 2 inches. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden at the edges. The internal temperature should be 195 degrees F. Serve warm or at room temperature. The baked biscuits can be frozen and reheated.
© 2019 Christine Silk • All Rights Reserved
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