Baskets of Biscuits

I have been wanting to make biscuits for a while now but I have been so busy with school that I barely had time to cook, let alone bake, as you can tell by my lack of blog updates. Anyway, my first summer class is over and I have a whole week before my next class starts and I plan on cooking and baking as much as I possibly can. :)

I served these biscuits, as well as grilled green beans, as a side to chicken breasts that I seasoned up, grilled and topped with swiss cheese and fresh mushrooms. What an amazing dinner, I am so glad to be back in the kitchen again. Buy the way, did I mention that my husband ate 3 of these with dinner and was wanting to reach for a fourth. I think he missed my cooking too.

Biscuits with Garlic and Cheddar
(Adapted from :Cook's Illustrated)

Makes Eight 2 1/2-Inch Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (1/2 cup), shredded
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk, separated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
~1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, for topping
~1/3 cup cheddar cheese, for topping

Garlic Butter Topping
4-5tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon parsley

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, cheddar cheese, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups milk and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough from bowl to countertop, leaving all dry, floury bits behind in bowl. In 1 tablespoon increments, add up to 1/4 cup milk to dry bits in bowl, mixing with wooden spoon after each addition, until moistened. Add these moistened bits to rest of dough and knead by hand just until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3. Shape the dough into a round, 3/4-inch thick. Following illustrations below, cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or cut into wedges with knife. Place rounds or wedges on parchment-lined baking sheet, brush biscuits with garlic butter topping and place a pinch of cheddar cheese on top of each. Bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Brush tops of biscuits with garlic butter topping and sprinkle with garlic salt.