Best Ever Biscuits!

Ingredients:
1 cup very cold buttermilk
8 Tbsp. butter, plus one more for brushing when done
2 cups flour, more for counter
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar (I used a nice sharp, aged Irish cheddar.)
1/4 cup finely chopped chives, more for garnish (I didn’t have time to garnish as Marilyn, my lunch guest was on her way!)

Here’s my new friend, Marilyn French St.-George in front of Ferocious O’Flaherty’s 300 year old thatched cottage in Spiddal. It is now rented as a vacation cottage. In the 1841 Irish census 40% of the Irish population lived in a one room thatched cottage, along with the family pig and a bunch of chickens. That’s 3 1/2 million people. Today it is believed that only about 2500 thatched cottages have survived. A significant aspect of Irish heritage is disappearing.

Preparation:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or spray liberally with cooking spray. Measure 1 cup buttermilk and place the cup in the freezer while prepping other ingredients; about 10 minutes.
Melt butter in a saucepan on top of stove (or you can use your microwave). Whisk flour, baking power, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add grated cheese and chives. Stir to combine.
Remove the buttermilk from the freezer and combine with the melted butter. Stir with a fork until butter forms clumps or globules. If globules don’t form possibly your buttermilk wasn’t cold enough. Return the mixture to the freezer for another 5-10 minutes. Stir again and butter globules should form. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until all flour is incorporated and batter pulls away from the bowl. The dough should hold together nicely, but also be soft and pliant. It should not be wet. If it is wet, add more flour 1 Tbsp. at a time, stirring to combine until dough become stiffer.
Generously spread flour over your work surface.  Place the biscuit dough from the bowl onto floured counter and coat all roll around so all surfaces are covered with the flour. Gently knead 5-6 times (about 20 seconds). Flip dough over to make sure all sides are lightly coated. Pat into a 6 inch square that’s about 1 1/2 to 2 ” thick.
Cut as many biscuits as you can with a biscuit cutter. The number of biscuits will depend on the size of your cutter. You can also use a glass or I used the edge of my 1/2 inch metal measuring cup.
Place biscuits on prepared sheet pan. Knead scraps together a few times until they hold together. Pat into a circle and cut more biscuits.
Place in oven and bake until tops are golden brown and crisp; 10-15 minutes. Start checking at 8 minutes as everyone’s oven is different and you don’t want to overbake. Melt remaining tablespoon butter and brush on tops as they come out of oven. Sprinkle with more chives. I did not have time to do that as Marilyn was about to arrive!

I cut my biscuits quite small so this recipe made 12 biscuits plus the scraps that I pulled together into a circle and scored to make 4 small biscuits (top left).

With the biscuits I served Potato Leek Soup. Go to: http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=potato+leek+soup  for the recipe. I make this a lot in Ireland!

Last year we began converting one of our own sheds into an Irish Cottage. It’s sad that thatch is becoming a thing of the past in Ireland. Next, I’m putting in a rose hedge.

Me and Marilyn at the top of the bog.