Friday Flashback: Cheddar Biscuits

I’m planning to make these again this weekend, alongside a big pot of Chili or Beef Barley Soup.

Who doesn’t love a good biscuit? Because I love to slather them with butter and honey I usually make them plain but these garlicky cheddar biscuits are the perfect companion for soups and other savory dishes.

This recipe made a batch of about two dozen. It’s very easy to adjust the amounts and make more or less.

All Purpose Flour, 4 cups
Baking Powder, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Shortening, 3/4 to 1 cup
Granulated Garlic, 1/2 teaspoon plus more for sprinkling
Cheddar Cheese, 8 ounces
Milk, 1 3/4 cups
Butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons
Parsley Flakes

Preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic.

An easy way to measure shortening: Put 1 cup of water in a glass measuring cup and scoop in shortening until the water rises to the 1 3/4 mark. For biscuits this measurement doesn’t have to be exact.

Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly.

Grate the cheese and stir it in with the dry ingredients.

Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk. Stir with a fork just until it’s moistened and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, just until it’s all pulled together. Don’t overdo it! Pat it out into a layer about an inch thick.

Cut out the biscuits with the top of a glass or a biscuit cutter. Gently reknead the scraps and cut again until the dough is gone.

Place the biscuits on a baking pan. Generously brush the tops with melted butter.

Normally I’d place them a little farther apart but I had to use the small oven for this batch which meant I had to use the pans that fit, in this case the trays from an old toaster oven.

Sprinkle with granulated garlic and a little dried parsley.