Smoked Honey Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Drop biscuits stay tender when the butter stays cold and the dough gets barely mixed. Fold sharp cheddar and chives through the flour, stir in TGCS Co Smoked Honey Mustard with cold buttermilk, then stop while the dough still looks rough. The kitchen should smell like toasted cheese and hickory smoke when the craggy tops turn deep gold. Brush the hot biscuits with smoked honey butter and get them to the table while the edges still snap. Makes 8 large biscuits, enough for 4 people.

What you need

Food (biscuits):

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, frozen for 10 minutes

1 1/2 cups packed grated old cheddar

2 tbsp finely sliced chives

3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1/4 cup TGCS Co Smoked Honey Mustard

Food (finish):

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 tbsp TGCS Co Smoked Honey Mustard

1 tbsp finely sliced chives

Equipment:

Rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment

Large mixing bowl

Box grater

Small bowl

Flexible spatula

1/3 cup measuring cup or large spring-loaded scoop

Pastry brush

How to cook it

1. Heat the oven to 425 F with a rack in the upper-middle position. Put the lined sheet pan in the refrigerator while you make the dough so the first scoop lands on a cold surface.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in the large bowl. Grate the cold butter through the large holes of the box grater directly into the flour.
3. Toss the butter through the flour with open fingers until every shred is coated, then fold in the cheddar and 2 tbsp chives. Work quickly enough that the butter still feels firm rather than greasy. (If the kitchen is hot and the butter starts to soften, put the whole bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.)
4. Whisk the cold buttermilk and 1/4 cup TGCS Co Smoked Honey Mustard together. Pour it over the flour mixture and fold with the spatula just until no dry pockets remain. DO NOT BEAT THE DOUGH SMOOTH. The rough edges are where the crisp bits come from.
5. Scoop 8 tall mounds onto the cold sheet pan, leaving at least 5 cm between them. Personally I leave the tops craggy instead of pressing them neat because those sharp cheese edges brown first.
6. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the biscuits are deeply golden on top and feel light for their size. (Pale tops usually mean a damp centre, so trust the colour before the clock.)
7. While they bake, whisk the melted butter with the remaining 2 tbsp TGCS Co Smoked Honey Mustard. It should look glossy and loose enough to brush, not separated.
8. Brush the hot biscuits as soon as they leave the oven. Let them stand on the pan for 5 minutes so the crumb sets without losing the crisp bottom.
9. Move the biscuits to a warm basket or platter, scatter over the remaining chives, and serve while the cheddar edges are still crisp.
10. ENJOY!