Biscuits With Southern Cheese Spread Food

PIMENTO CHEESE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, baking soda and cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese and toss to coat.
• Whisk together the buttermilk and mayonnaise in a separate bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir until the flour is moistened, then fold in the piquillo peppers. Drop heaping teaspoons onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with flaky salt and additional black pepper. Bake until the tops are golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Enjoy right away!

ALMOST-FAMOUS CHEDDAR BISCUITS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Lightly mist a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Make the biscuits: Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter; pulse 4 or 5 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a clean surface and gently knead until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.
• Drop the dough onto the baking sheet in scant 1/4-cup portions, 2 inches apart, and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: Melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the biscuits with the garlic butter and serve warm.

COUNTRY HAM BISCUITS AND SCALLION-PIMENTO CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat.
• For the scallion-pimento cheese: Stir together the cheese, pimentos, mayonnaise and scallions in a large bowl. Set aside, or if making ahead, place in the fridge until ready to use.
• For the country ham biscuits: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or 2 table knives, cut the cold butter cubes into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Use a fork to stir in the buttermilk to make a soft dough that comes together and leaves the sides of the bowl (make sure all the flour is worked in). Stir in the ham. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead 3 or 4 times until smooth and manageable.
• With your hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut the dough out with a 2-inch floured biscuit cutter.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in it. Place the biscuits in the skillet. Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
• To serve: Split the biscuits and serve with a generous spread of pimento cheese.

CHEESY BACON PULL-APART BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In 9-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet, coating bottom and side completely. Discard any remaining drippings.
• In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 1/4 cup of the onions, the garlic powder and red pepper until soft dough forms. On surface sprinkled with additional Bisquick mix, pat dough to 1-inch thickness. Cut dough with 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Arrange rounds in skillet; sprinkle 3/4 cup of the Cheddar cheese evenly between rounds.
• Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese on tops of biscuits. Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with bacon and remaining 2 tablespoons onions. Serve warm.

FLUFFY CHEDDAR BISCUITS

Steps:

• Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and paprika to combine. Add the 1/2 cup cubed butter and toss until each piece is coated completely in flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to rub the butter into the flour, continuing to work the mixture until the butter is almost fully blended into the dough. There can still be a few larger pieces of butter, but none should be larger than a pea. If the butter feels soft or melty at any point, refrigerate the mixture in the bowl for 15 minutes before continuing.
• Stir in 1 1/2 cups/170 grams of the cheese into the flour mixture. Make a well in the center of the bowl. In a liquid measuring cup or in a small bowl with a spout, whisk the buttermilk and egg until well combined. Pour the mixture into the medium bowl and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined. Near the end, you may have to fold it over itself a few times in the bowl to make sure it's uniformly combined. (Resist the urge to use your hands so that the mixture doesn't get too soft or compressed.)
• Scoop the dough into 12 even portions (about 1/2 cup/80 grams each) onto the prepared sheet pan. Stagger the biscuits on the baking sheets. (You should have 6 biscuits per sheet pan.)
• Brush each biscuit with the melted butter (you won't use it all) and divide the remaining shredded cheese among the tops of the biscuits (about 2 teaspoons per biscuit).
• Transfer to the oven and bake the biscuits for 15 minutes, then brush each biscuit with butter again, and rotate the pans between the oven racks. Continue to bake until the biscuits are light golden and the cheese on top is deeply golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. The biscuits should spring back gently when touched in the center.
• Brush the finished biscuits generously with the remaining butter. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving warm (or cool completely and serve at room temperature).