I've been experimenting with several recipes to make a really good grain-free biscuit. There are other cheddar biscuit recipes out there, but I believe this to be an improved version. I love to eat these with soup, or split in half and use them for a breakfast sandwich or in place of the English muffin with eggs benedict.
Chickpea flour is the same thing as garbanzo flour or gram flour or besan.
Makes 5 really hearty biscuits.
Preheat the oven to 500*F Butter a 6"-7" oven safe dish or ramekin.
Combine in the bowl of a food processor:
- 1 C chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Pulse a few times to mix. Cut into approx. 1/4 pieces and add to the food processor:
- 2 T butter
Pulse 8-10 times to incorporate the butter. You may still see small chunks of it, and that's ok. Pour the contents of the food processor into a medium sized mixing bowl and add:
- 1/2 C buttermilk or yogurt
- 1 C shredded sharp cheddar
Stir with a rubber spatula until you have a consistently wet, sticky, lumpy dough. Place about a 1/4 cup of chickpea flour in a bowl and line up the bowl of dough, followed by the bowl of flour, and then the buttered oven safe dish. Use a 1/4 C measuring cup to scoop dough out of the first bowl. Drop it into the flour and roll it around to coat, then toss it gently from hand to hand over the bowl to shake off any excess flour. Place it into the buttered dish. Continue with the rest of the dough, arranging the biscuits touching each other in a circle in the dish. You'll make about 5 balls total.
Bake in the 500*F oven for 5 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 450 for an additional 12-15 minutes. They are done when golden with some browning on top, and cooked all the way through. Turn out onto a plate to cool, and break the biscuits apart when cool enough to handle.
These are a bit too crowded in only a 5" dish. If you make a double batch, a 9" pie plate will hold them perfectly.
