Simple & Sublime Biscuits Made with Wisconsin Cream & Cheese

I come from a pure line of farmers. My great-grandfather had a 178-acre dairy farm in Pennsylvania that my grandmother still lives on today. Needless to say, I love really good, rich cream and well-made cheese…and I take every opportunity to use them in my recipes, especially on special occasions. Recently, I got to learn about other dairy farming families in Wisconsin thanks to my friends at Wisconsin Cheese. I had no idea there are more than 6,500 dairy farms in Wisconsin. There also are more cows there than people!

These simple, but fancy looking biscuits use Wisconsin heavy cream and Wood River Cheddar-Gruyère Cheese—in the biscuits and underneath —which makes them extra golden and tender with the most delightful crispy-cheesy “feet.” They are ideal for entertaining.

I use a 2¼-inch biscuit cutter, so the biscuits are just a couple bites each for guests. They make great party sandwiches paired with sliced roast beef and jus, ham and a touch of mustard, or warm turkey with gravy. 

The crème fraîche is just two ingredients, though it takes 24 hours to make. I like to make it ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If pressed for time, use very cold Wisconsin heavy whipping cream instead. 

Serves: Makes 12 biscuits Prep Time: 20 mins + 20 mins chill time Cooking Time: 12-14 minutes

Ingredients

For the crème fraîche

• ¾ cup Wisconsin-made heavy whipping cream

• 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons buttermilk or the liquid skimmed from the top of plain yogurt

For the biscuits

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 1 tablespoon baking powder 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 

• 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt 

• ½ teaspoon white pepper (optional)

• 1½ cups grated Cheddar-Gruyère Cheese, divided

• 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter (do not cut into tablespoons, keep together as a stick)

• ¾ cup homemade crème fraiche (see recipe above)

• 3 tablespoons very cold water 

• NOTE:  Use 1¼ cups very cold Wisconsin heavy whipping cream instead of the crème fraiche and water.

Directions

To make the crème fraîche

1. In a glass jar fitted with a lid, add the Wisconsin heavy whipping cream and buttermilk or liquid yogurt cultures. Seal the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds.

2. Let rest on the kitchen counter at room temperature for 8-24 hours. It should be very thick. Shake it again, then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. 

To make the biscuits

1. In a wide, large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Mix in ¾ cup of the Wisconsin cheese with a wooden spoon.

2. Drop the butter in the bowl and toss in the flour mixture to coat. On the large holes of a box grater, grate the butter into the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, carefully shake the butter pieces in the mixture to disperse them evenly throughout.

3. Add the homemade crème fraiche to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, then the water and stir to thin out. If still too thick, stir in another tablespoon or two of cold water. Alternatively, use 1 cup of Wisconsin heavy whipping cream (no water) instead of the homemade crème fraîche (see note in ingredients). Pour into the bowl and stir the dough with the wooden spoon until it just comes together. If still a bit dry, add very cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is moistened, but not wet and tacky. Chill the dough uncovered for 20 minutes. 

4. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Starting at one corner of the pan, place the 2¼-inch biscuit cutter on the parchment and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining ¾ cup of cheese in the center of the cutter. Lift the cutter and gently spread the cheese out about a ¼-of-an-inch more with your fingers to form the cheesy feet. Repeat this 15 more times, creating 4 rows of 3 piles of cheese.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 1-inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle the top with flour. Fold like a letter, lifting one-third of the dough from the right over the center, then one-third from the left over top the two layers of dough. Roll out again to 1-inch thick rectangle. Repeat this process two times. Sprinkle with more flour as needed throughout the process. 

7. Flour the biscuit cutter and press straight down through the dough – do not twist – to cut out the biscuits. Place the biscuits on top of each pile of cheese. Gather the remaining dough scraps and roll out to 1-inch thick. Flour if needed. Continue cutting out biscuits until you have 16 on the pan. 

8. Bake 16 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and the cheesy feet are crispy. Remove from the oven. Let rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. 

9. Serve.

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