Buttermilk Biscuit Egg

 

Ingredients:

- Biscuits:

  - 2 cups all-purpose flour

  - 2 teaspoons white sugar

  - 1 tablespoon baking powder

  - 1 teaspoon salt (3/4 teaspoon if using salted butter)

  - 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

  - 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, well-packed

  - 1/4 cup finely diced chives

  - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, well shaken (plus more as needed)

  - Milk or cream, for brushing tops

 Topping:

  - 7 large eggs

To serve:

  - Additional chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Grate the cheddar cheese and dice the chives. Add them to the flour mixture and toss to combine.

4. Add the cold butter chunks to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have coarse crumbs with butter pieces no larger than a pea.

5. Add the cold buttermilk and using a fork, stir it into the mixture until the flour is evenly moistened. You may need to add a teaspoon or two of additional buttermilk to thoroughly moisten.

6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gather the dough into a mound and fold it over on itself 2 or 3 times until it forms one moist piece. Form it into a ball.

7. Using a floured hand, press the dough down until you have an even 1-inch thick piece of dough. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut rounds from the dough and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving several inches between each biscuit.

8. Gather the scraps of dough, reform them into a 1-inch thick piece, and cut more biscuits. You should get 6 or 7 biscuits. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a bit of milk or cream.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden and just cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits from the baking sheet to a cooling rack.

10. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and reserve the baking sheet with parchment.

11. Allow the biscuits to cool for 15 minutes (or completely if making ahead). Once cooled, cut around the top of each biscuit, about 1/2-inch in from the outside edge and 1 inch deep. Use the tip of the knife to lift out the round, creating a 1-inch deep hole that is flat on the bottom.

12. Place the biscuits back on the baking sheet with parchment, leaving space between each one. Crack an egg into each hole and season with salt and pepper.

13. Return to the 350°F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on desired egg consistency. Check at 18-20 minutes and if the biscuits are getting too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

14. Once the egg whites are set and the yolks are slightly set, remove from the oven. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped chives and freshly ground pepper. These are delicious warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.