Crimson Crustacean Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Once upon a time I would regularly visit a seafood restaurant that served amazing cheddar bay biscuits as complementary appetizers. I have been missing those delightful biscuits and decided to try to recreate the flavours of that delectable snack.

The shape of my biscuits are not the same, but the flavours are spot on.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Flour
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Butter and 1/4 cup Butter (divided)
• 1 cup Buttermilk (or equivalent) (chilled)
• 2 tbsp Shortening
• 1/2 cup Cheese (grated)
• 1 clove Garlic (minced)
• 2 tsp Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder

Equipment:

• Mixing Bowl
• Large Spoon
• Wet & Dry Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Pastry Cutter (optional)
• 2 inch Cookie Cutter (or equivalent)
• Greased Or Lined Baking Pan
• Small Pot
• Oven heated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit

Sometimes you get hit by a craving for biscuits when you don't have any buttermilk on hand. Luckily, there are a few substitutes that can give similar results.

1. Add 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add milk to the container until the total volume reaches 1 cup. Stir. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 3/4 tsp of cream of tartar to a measuring cup. Add milk to the container until the total volume reaches 1 cup. Stir. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Add 3/4 cup of plain yogurt to a measuring cup. Add milk to the container until the total volume reaches 1 cup. Stir until well blended.

I used option one for the biscuits featured in this Instructable.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Stir until well blended

Add 2 tbsp butter and shortening to flour mixture. Mix in fats by breaking them into pea-sized lumps with your fingers or a pastry cutter. Work quickly to avoid melting them.

Add the grated cheese to flour and fat mixture. Stir until combined.

I used extra old cheddar for the batch in this Instructable

Make a well in the middle of your mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir until the dough barely comes together. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn dough onto a floured surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Fold dough onto itself 5 or 6 times. Flatten dough with your hands until it is about 1 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter (or a glass in my instance) to cut dough into 2 inch rounds.

Place biscuits on a greased or lined baking sheet. The sides of each biscuit should be touching to encourage them to expand upwards.

If you have excess dough from the previous step, feel free to reshape it and cut out additional biscuits. These will not be as tender as the first batch.

Place in oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are lightly golden.

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in small pot on medium heat. Add minced garlic; sautee for a minute or until lightly golden. Remove from heat. Add parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until well blended. Set aside.

Remove biscuits from oven. While the biscuits are still hot, brush the savoury topping over them. If you used unsalted butter, then I recommend lightly sprinkling the dressed biscuits with a bit of salt.

Enjoy!

BISCUIT RECIPE:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Flour
• 4 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Shortening
• 1 cup Buttermilk (chilled)
• 1/2 cup Cheese (grated)

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 2 tbsp butter and shortening to mixture. Mix in by breaking the fats into pea-sized lumps with your fingers or a pastry cutter.
3. Add cheese to mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Make a well in the center. Pour in buttermilk. Stir until the dough barely comes together.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Dust top with flour. Fold dough onto itself 5-6 times.
6. Flatten the dough until it is 1 inch in thickness. Cut out 2 inch rounds with a cookie cutter.
7. Place biscuits onto a grease baking sheet so that the sides touch.
8. Bake until the tops are lightly golden.
9. Brush the savoury topping onto the biscuits while they are still hot.

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SAVOURY TOPPING RECIPE:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 clove Garlic (minced)
• 2 tsp Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder

Method:

1. Melt butter in a small pot on medium heat.
2. Add minced garlic; sautee for a minute or until lightly golden. Remove from heat.
3. Add parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until well blended.