CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS

Southerners have been baking biscuits for a long, long time.

This is a vintage recipe.

 

 

 Most of the family in the Delta had "help" that were probably the best cooks

 in all of the southern states combined.

These lovely woman could whip up a batch of biscuits

every morning with their eyes closed.

 

 

They were hot and buttery, served on little vintage plates,

with a side serving of homemade jam or local honey!

 

 

Our grandmothers ensured we children had a hot breakfast when we were visiting.

 Never, did you go out to play with just a bowl of cold cereal.

 I can envision all the cousins sitting together at that big dining table and

 laughing as we were eating those hot biscuits and gravy!

There was nothing left on our plates except crumbs.

 

 Then you could hear the chairs scooting back on the wood floors and the

clanking of plates being stacked in the kitchen sink.

The screen door creaked open and slammed shut.

Off to play on a beautiful day.......

 

Cream Cheese Biscuits

1 (1/4-oz.) envelope active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 (8-oz.) package cold cream cheese, cut into pieces

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Parchment paper 

2 tablespoons butter, melted

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine yeast and warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; cut cream cheese and cold butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Combine yeast mixture and buttermilk, and add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 6 to 8 times (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), sprinkling with up to 1/4 cup additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps once. Arrange biscuits on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

 Bake at 400° for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.