1 1/4teaspoonssalt, reduce to 1 teaspoon if using salted butter
2teaspoonsgranulated white sugar
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
Pinchdry mustard powder, optional
1/2cupunsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2cupssharp cheddar cheese, grated and well packed
1/4cuppickled jalapeños, drained and roughly chopped
3/4cupbuttermilk, cold, plus more for topping *See Note 1 below for how to make-your-own buttermilk from regular milk
Flaky salt, for topping
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425F with a rack in the centre of the oven.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and mustard powder, if using. Add the cold butter pieces and a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are roughly pea-sized. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the jalapeños and stir to combine.
Pour about half of the the buttermilk over the flour mixture and using a fork, stir in. Continue adding the remaining buttermilk, a bit at a time, until the dough is evenly moistened, but not sticky. You may not need all of the buttermilk, or, if the dough seems dry and won’t come together, drizzle in additional buttermilk, a tiny bit at a time, just until it forms a rough mass.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it gently a few times until it comes together. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into quarters. Stack the pieces on top of each other, then pat or gently roll into a rectangle about 4 x 8 inches. Transfer the dough to a plate or baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese into eight piles at least 2-inches apart.
When dough has chilled, cut into eight even pieces. Place a biscuit on top of each mound of cheese, ensuring the cheese peeks out a bit around the biscuit. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges and tops are golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Note 1: Make your own buttermilk by adding 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup of regular dairy milk.You can use fresh jalapeños if you prefer. I like to cook them slightly, just to remove the raw flavour. You can use the microwave, skillet or oven to soften them slightly. Cool, chop and use in biscuits. You can adjust the amount to taste.Be sure to have a look at the information above the Recipe Card, where you'll find step-by-step photos as well as some biscuit-making tips.