Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Name: Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: Makes 10 to 12
Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon fine salt; 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, chilled, plus 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick), melted; 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, chilled; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

December 14, 2011

These are everything a good buttermilk biscuit should be: light, flaky, and exceedingly tender. They make appearances all over the menu at Bar Americain; they’re a fought-over item in our bread basket, the basis of Miss Stephanie’s Biscuits and Cream Gravy (page 223), and when I’m not feeling the waffles, the perfect accompaniment for fried chicken (page 131). A liberal dusting of black pepper gives the biscuits a subtle flush of heat that distinguishes them from the rest. The purists among you can leave out this last step if you prefer your biscuits free of adornment—they’re still melt-in-your-mouth good.

Recipe notes

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