Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits #9

When I first started watching Food Network, Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten, was foreign to me.  Most of the recipes I had never heard of.  I wouldn't eat a lot of the food she made, and to be honest some of the ingredients I didn't think I could even purchase.  Now, I have to admit there are still a lot of ingredients from her show that I can't find and plently of recipes I don't care to try, but I see recipes all the time that I want to try now.  And either way I love watching Ina's show.  Even if I don't like the food, I always learn easy tips and tricks.  When I first started this blog, I had a list of foods Michael and I love to eat other place that I don't know how to cook, or at least don't have a good recipe for.  Not only did I want to try recipes for those foods, I wanted to find an easy "ultimate" recipe for those foods.  For example, I tried at least 5 tomato soup recipes last year.  And there was definitely one that stuck out.  During my breakfast month, I really want to try to find a biscuit recipe that is easy and tasty.  This is my first shot.  

The case:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cold extra-large egg
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
• Maldon sea salt, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.
4. Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

The ruling:
These were wonderful.  I tried these two ways.  I made a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and one simply with grape jelly.  They were both delicious!  I wasn't sure how the cheddar flavor would be with the grape jelly, but shockingly it was my favorite biscuit of the two.  A couple of tips I learned for next time:  First, make sure not to roll out the dough too thin.  10 x 5 inches isn't that big.  Second, check the biscuits at 20 minutes.  I baked for 23 and thought they were slightly too done.  Either way, these biscuits will be hard to beat.  Thanks Ina!