This yeasted recipe makes deliciously flaky cream cheese biscuits in 70 minutes (55 minutes of inactive time)Makes about 45 square biscuits.22 servings
1/3cuproom temperature sour cream or plain yogurt (Greek or vegan is fine)
2 room temperature eggs, for the yeast dough and egg wash
2 ¾cupgood quality all-purpose or bread flour, (400 grams), plus more for dusting
1 tspsalt
3/4tspground black pepper
Butter/Lard Dough
7tbspbutter or lard (100grams)
2/3cupcream cheese, or laughing cow spreadable cheese (150grams)
1cupbread flour, (143grams)
Instructions
FLAKY CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS
Butter/Lard Dough
Into a mixing bowl add flour (1 cup, 143 grams), add room temperature butter or lard (7 tablespoons, 100 grams), and cream cheese (2/3 cup, 150 grams). Blend together with a spatula or a wooden spoon to form a fat dough. Wrap in a food wrap and freeze while you prepare the yeast dough. This dough doesn't need to be rock hard, just slighlty chilled is fine.TIP: I love using lard in this recipe.
Yeast Dough
Prepare a yeast sponge. Into a small bowl pour warm milk (1cup, 250ml), add dry yeast (3 teaspoons and 1/2 teaspoon), a pinch of sugar, and flour (1 tablespoon). Whisk and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy and bubbly on the top.TIP: Don't use hot liquid, it will kill the yeast. Milk should be 100F-110F/ 38°C-43°C.
You can use your stand mixer or make the yeast dough by hand.1. Stand Mixer - pour flour (2 ¾ cups 400grams), salt (1teaspoon), ground black pepper (3/4 teaspoon), 1 egg, sour cream (1/3 cup), and yeast sponge. Knead with a hook attachment until dough comes together, for about 5 minutes. This is a soft dough, and it will not form a dough that is pulling away from the mixer bowl. Scrape out the dough onto a floured work surface.2. By Hand - pour flour (2 ¾cup, 400grams), salt (1teaspoon), ground black pepper (3/4 teaspoon), 1 egg, sour cream (1/3 cup), and yeast sponge. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined, dump it out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.TIP: The easiest way to knead by hand is by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your palm, then folding it over itself with your fingers, and pulling it back. Rotate the dough clockwise and repeat until you have a ball formed.
Easy Dough Laminating
On a floured work surface roll out yeast dough into a rectangle, with the longer side at your belly. Take out chilled butter/lard dough and place it onto 1/2 of the rolled-out yeast dough. Press the butter dough with the palm of your hand to flatten it. If it's sticky, dust it with a little bit of flour, alternatively use a rolling pin to flatten it.
With your hands, pick up the short end of the rolled-out yeast dough with no butter dough on it and fold it over, to about 3/4 of the length, overlapping the butter dough. Then fold the other end over the first fold. Turn the folded dough clockwise and repeat this process six times. No chilling between.
Cutting Biscuits
Turn the 6 times-folded dough over, so the seam is facing the work surface. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife cut the dough into small squares, rectangles, or triangles. Don't re-roll.TIP: You can use a pizza wheel to cut the dough, too.
Proofing
Transfer unbaked biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch between biscuits. Loosely cover with a damp paper towel and let rise in a warm and draft-free spot for 45 minutes.TIP: Let them rise in a warm spot. It will take longer for the biscuits to rise in a cool room.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350F/180°C.Crack an egg into a small dish, add 1 tablespoon water and whisk well to combine.After 45 minutes biscuits should be risen, remove the paper towel and brush each top of the biscuits with egg wash. Sprinkle with caraway seed or sea salt.Bake in the preheated oven at 350F/180°C for about 10-11 minutes, just until the tops turn lightly golden brown. Allow to cool before serving or freezing.
Notes
How long do cream cheese biscuits last? - biscuits are good at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
What kind of flour should I use? - I recommend using good quality all-purpose flour (for example King Arthur All-Purpose flour (with 11.7 % protein content), bread flour (12-14% protein content), or a combination of weak all-purpose (10% protein content) and bread flour. Check the nutritional label for details.
What Should I serve with cream cheese biscuits? - wine, fruit, ham, cheese, etc.