Gingham and Steel Bakes! Episode 3: Fog City Diner Cheddar Biscuits

Here’s the latest episode of Gingham and Steel Bakes!  Notes and recipe after the video.

Notes on this week’s episode:

1. Honestly, guys, I almost scrapped this whole episode.  I tried a new camera (my computer’s) and angle (on the counter) and HATED the result.  The lighting is atrocious, I couldn’t stage the room cutely, and most of all, I spent most of the footage looking at my own image instead of the camera (which is cruelly located above the escape key).  But…my schedule was particularly crazy this week, and I didn’t have time to do a whole new episode.  Plus, this is very much a learning vlog series for me, so I think it’s important to respect my artistic learning curve and put my messes on air, too.  Even if my ego is cringing…

2. These biscuits are SUPER speedy to whip together.  The longest part was cutting in the butter.  Doing the dishes took longer than making them!

3. Next time, I’ll think intelligently about the fact that I cannot eat five biscuits in one sitting. Biscuits are amazing when they’re fresh from the oven; not so much when they’re two days old.  I will only bake two at a time, when I make these again.

4. I seriously need to find out from my sister why my measurements did not match up with the recipe’s!  I seemed to have half the dough, despite making a full batch.  Suspicious.

5. I’d love to try playing with the flavors of these biscuits!  Maybe add chives?  Or bacon? OMG THAT SOUNDS AMAZING.  Please, someone, try these with bacon and let me know how they are.

That’s it for this week.  Let me know what you’re baking/cooking these days!  Are you feeling fall, or are you still eating salads like a summer person?  (If the latter, I’m gonna assume you live in southern California.)

Fog City Diner Cheddar Biscuits

1. 1-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2. 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder

3. 1-1/2 tsp. sugar

4. 3/4 tsp. salt

5. 1-1/4 cup cheddar cheese (heaping measures) — about 4 oz

6. 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, cut into small chunks)

7. 1/2 cup buttermilk*

1. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in mixer with paddle attachment (or an awesome spoon, a la Emily). 2. Mix in cheese and add butter. Mix until butter is cut in well and mixture resembles gravel (pebble size, or small marbles). Don’t overmix.  (You can use a pastry blender for this step!) 3. Add buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Can add small splashes of milk as needed to pick up rest of crumbs on bottom of bowl. Okay if dough is a little sticky. 4. Flour worktable and pat/press out until dough is uniformly 2” thick. This sounds thick but is the size they used. 1”-1.5” is also good, as biscuits will rise to 1.5”-2”. 5. Cut with 3” ring mold (or top of water glass) and line on a sheet tray with parchment. 6. Freeze the biscuits, overnight if possible; at least four hours. This step is very important. If you do not freeze the biscuits first, they will melt and run and will lose their structure. 7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes straight from the freezer on a tray with parchment paper or baking liner. Makes about 6 large biscuits.

*If you don’t have buttermilk, place 1 tbsp lemon juice in a liquid measure cup, and add enough milk to bring liquid up to 1-cup line. Let stand for five minutes at room temperature. (1/2 tbsp lemon juice, up to 1/2 cup line for 5 min = 1/2 cup buttermilk.)

#SanFrancisco #recipes #California #ILeftMyHeartinSanFrancisco #comfortfood #Baking #cookingshow #vlog #blog #Actor #bacon #Fall #Singer #FogCityDiner #howto #Autumn #biscuits