Ingredients: 

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or red chili powder or paprika)

¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper (or black pepper powder) to taste

2 cups (250 grams) of all-purpose flour

Steps to Make It:

Step 1: In a large bowl or medium bowl, add 2 cups (250 grams) of all-purpose flour. Add all ingredients

Step 2: Stir to mix very well with a spoon or a wired whisk. You can also sift the dry ingredients with a sieve if you want. Now add 100 grams cold butter (roughly one stick of butter, or ¾ cup) which has been chopped into cubes. The butter must be cold to get the right tender flaky biscuit layers.

Step 3: Use your fingertips to mix the butter with the flour mixture until the whole mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Alternatively use a pastry blender or cutter to cut the butter into the flour.

If the butter starts to melt while mixing, place the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes and then start again.

Note that you can also use a stand mixer to mix the butter in the flour and also to form the dough.

Step 4: Add 100 grams (about 1.5 cups) of grated cheddar cheese to the bowl. You can also use vegetarian parmesan cheese instead of cheddar cheese, if you prefer. Mix well with a spatula or spoon.

Step 5: Add ½ cup of chilled buttermilk. If you have fresh curd (yogurt), then dissolve 2 tablespoons of the chilled yogurt in ⅓ cup cold water to make about ½ cup buttermilk. Mix to combine and bring the entire mixture together. But do not knead. If the butter starts melting, then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 6: Before you bake the biscuits, first preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. Once the oven is nearly done preheating, place the dough on a floured surface. 

Step 7: Use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough into an 8×8 inch square. Then cut into 2×2 inch squares. If the butter starts to look melted, then again, cover and place the cheese squares in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Step 8: Then place the cheese squares on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper-lined baking tray. Sprinkle the biscuit squares with some sea salt or edible rock salt (pink salt), or black salt. Place the baking tray in the preheated oven.

Step 9: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden. Timing varies from oven to oven, so do keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t become too golden brown. Remove the baked cheddar biscuits from the oven. Let them sit on the baking sheet for just a minute or so, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. If you leave them on the baking tray too long they become moist on the bottom due to heat evaporation.

Step 10: Enjoy the cheese biscuits as a delicious tea-time snack. You can also have them with your breakfast.

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