These tasty biscuits, ultra-tender thanks to the addition of both heavy cream and cheese, go together in a flash. Amazingly, they include just three ingredients: self-rising flour, cream, and cheddar cheese. Once shaped, they can be baked immediately, or frozen for a later date. Easy, versatile, and delicious — that's a win, win, WIN!
Preheat your oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third.
To make the biscuits using a food processor: Place the flour, cheese, pepper, and chives into the work bowl of your food processor.
Process until the mixture is smooth; the cheese will be very finely chopped.
Add the cream, and pulse until the dough becomes cohesive. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
To make the dough by hand: Toss the grated or cubed cheese with the flour. Add the pepper and chives, if using.
Add the cream, stirring to make a cohesive dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface.
Pat the dough into a disc 3/4" to 1" thick; the thicker the disc, the taller the biscuits and the lower the yield. (Dough patted 3/4" thick will yield about 16 to 17 biscuits; pat the dough 1" thick, you'll get about a dozen.)
Use a 2" cutter (or the size of your choice) to cut rounds. Place the biscuits on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1" apart for crisp edges. For soft-sided biscuits, place the biscuits closer together on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream or milk; this will help brown their crust.
Bake the biscuits for 15 to 18 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve immediately.
For best cheese flavor, use a top-quality, extra-sharp cheddar. We like Cabot Extra Sharp or Seriously Sharp. For extra cheesy biscuits (think Cheese-Its style) try adding up to 1/4 cup (28g) of Better Cheddar Cheese Powder along with the flour.
