Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits

 

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

4 ounces cream cheese, cold, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and chives.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and cream cheese until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.

Pour in the buttermilk; using a fork, mix in buttermilk until incorporated and the dough just comes together.  The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.  With floured fingers gently knead about four times, until all the crumbs are incorporated and the dough is smooth.  With a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll out the dough to an 11-by-8 inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick.  Using hands gently lift the ends of dough, fold the rectangle into thirds (like a business letter).  Give the dough a quarter turn.  Roll out the dough again (to the same dimensions), and repeat the folding process.  Wrap with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Return dough to the work surface.  Roll out as before, and repeat the folding process.  Give the dough another quarter turn; roll out the dough one more time, again into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.  Using a sharp knife, trim and discard 1/4-inch from all sides; divide the rectangles into 12 equal squares or rectangles.  Place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until biscuits are golden and flecked with brown spots, 15 to 18 minutes.  Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.