Ina Garten's buttermilk cheddar biscuits

Ina Garten's cookbooks are my latest favorites. They are visually very beautiful and the recipes are very simple and so far have turned out really good. These buttermilk biscuits looked so great I just had to try them! These are actually the first biscuits I have ever made and I loved them! They turned out nice and flaky and very moist. No butter needed! I will definitely make these again. They were great with the White bean soup.

Buttermilk cheddar biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and handling dough

1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt

12 T (1 1/2 stick /170 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken

1 cold extra-large egg

1 cup grated extra-sharp white Cheddar (any cheddar will work)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk

Coarse sea salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place 2 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small glass measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the cheddar with a small handful of flour, and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Empty out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about six times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 5x10 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut th dough lenghtwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchement paper. Brush the top with the egg wash, sprinkle with additional cheese and sea salt. and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are browned and the bicuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, Back to basics.