Herbed Cream Cheese Biscuits

By norsegal8

When it's finally warm enough in the morning to eat breakfast on the porch or deck, why not celebrate with something really special? Sue says a favorite brunch dish of hers is these herbed biscuits with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. "Chives are one of the first plants I harvest from my herb garden," she says. "They're perfect when they're young and still tender. And even though this recipe is one I can make year-round, it's one of those things that tells me summer's almost here. Just the colors on the plate—the green chives in the golden biscuits set next to the orange salmon and bright yellow eggs—are wonderful."

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon (a scant 1/2 ounce) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons (1/4 ounce) chopped fresh chives OR 2 tablespoons dried chives*
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter or vegetable shortening
• 4 ounces (half a large package) cream cheese
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk
• Substitute chive cream cheese or herbed cream cheese for the chives, thyme and cream cheese, if desired.

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the grated cheese, until everything is evenly distributed. Using a pastry fork or blender, your fingers or an electric mixer, cut in the butter (or shortening) and cream cheese, mixing until crumbly; some larger chunks of cheese and butter can remain. Pour in the milk while tossing with a fork; the dough should remain a bit crumbly, but hold together when squeezed. Add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if needed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and fold it over a few times, so that you can be sure it's totally cohesive. Pat it into an 8-inch square, 3/4-inch thick. Cut it into 2-inch squares, or use a 2-inch round cutter. Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake the biscuits in a preheated 425°F oven for 16 to 18 minutes, until they're lightly browned. Serve them warm, or at room temperature. Yield: sixteen 2 1/4-inch biscuits.