buttermilk biscuits

This post combines two things you rarely see here on Bon Chap - baking and breakfast. Despite being the most important meal of the day, I'm not that big on breakfast. Give me a coffee, a banana, some cereal and I'm set. Occasionally I've made leftover omelets, but I so rarely have leftovers that it doesn't happen too often. While I was back home in Pittsburgh this summer, I decided to take advantage of common ingredients around the house that I don't keep in my apartment (not to mention an actual working oven). I made these biscuits exactly as seen on NYTimes.com, and they were amazing - both in ease and in taste. They're a whole mean in and of themselves. Definitely give them a try. Here's what you'll need:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons sugar 
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 9 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed 
• 1 cup buttermilk, chilled 

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees and buttering up a baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, quickly cut in 8 tablespoons butter until it forms pea-size crumbs and is uniformly mixed it (for flaky biscuits you want the butter to remain cold). Pour in buttermilk and stir together until it just forms a moist, slightly tacky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 2 or 3 times, then pat out into a 3/4-inch-thick round.

Using a 2-inch round cutter (or in lieu of one, and simple glass will do), cut out the biscuits. Cut straight down and back up - twisting the cutter prevents proper rising. You can also dip the cutter lightly in flour between biscuits. Once you've gotten one set cut out, do not re-roll the scraps, but pat them together and cut into additional biscuits. Transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush butter lightly over the tops of the biscuits. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving with some delicious jam. Bon chappétit!