Whether or not you’re a Southerner, it’s no secret that biscuits in the South are a way of life. Born out of necessity and frugality, biscuits provided a high-calorie breakfast for those who worked a lot and did not have much to spend on meals. Now our nostalgic and familiar staples are found in nearly every Southern restaurant and home kitchen. The culinary creativity with biscuits has expounded into much more than a slather of gravy and jam (although this is still a fantastic way to enjoy them).
This Southern Biscuits & Quick Breads book is just that—a marvelous mix of tradition and innovation! Among staple, good-for-every-occasion drop biscuit and angel biscuit recipes, creations with ham, cheese, berries, chocolate, and much more fill this book!
A personal favorite of mine is this Cheese-Pepper Biscuit. I love that these particular biscuits are a square shape. And we talked about embracing change a couple weeks ago, so switching things up is a good thing…right?
A simple knife will do the trick here, so no worries if you don’t have a biscuit cutter. The savory ham and tangy stone-ground mustard perfectly complement the rich and cheesy biscuit. Wherever you take these, I guarantee you’ll have people asking for the recipe!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ⅔ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- Stone-ground mustard and ham, to serve
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, black pepper, and red pepper. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly. Make a well in dry ingredients; add cheeses and ¾ cup buttermilk, stirring until mixture just comes together. Add remaining ¼ cup buttermilk, if needed.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently knead dough 4 or 5 times. Roll or pat dough into an 8-inch square; cut into 25 squares. Place close together in a 10-inch square cast-iron skillet or a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake until golden brown, about 17 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Using a large spatula, remove from pan, and cut into pieces. Split biscuits horizontally, and brush with melted butter. Serve with mustard and ham, if desired.
For a limited time, this quintessentially Southern cookbook is available at a special price. So, whether you want to add to your own cookbook library or give this treasure trove of deliciousness to a friend, click below to pick up a copy!
