Layers and layers of flaky biscuit with fresh chives …. these are a winner any day of the week.
You know those potato chips of the same flavour?? I don’t like them one little bit. In the first place, I don’t care for sour cream. Sure, I use it in recipes, but never as a topping for anything where you just taste sour cream …. yuck. I know I’m in the minority on that. These biscuits though? The sour cream makes them rich and gives them a slight tang that is perfect to offset that richness. Scallions are my favourite in everything right now …. just desperate for fresh vegetables at this time of year I guess.
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8 scallions, sliced thinly
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12 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, divided
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2½ tsp. kosher salt
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1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
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1¾ tsp. baking powder
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½ tsp. baking soda
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1¼ tsp. sugar
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2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
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1¼ cups sour cream, plus more for serving
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Flaky sea salt
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim root ends from 8 scallions. Thinly slice crosswise (not on a diagonal); set aside.
Melt 2 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter by whatever method is easiest for you; set aside. Whisk 2½ tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1¾ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, 1¼ tsp. sugar, and 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour in a large bowl to combine.
Cut remaining 10 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter into ½” pieces. Add to dry ingredients and toss to coat. Using your hands, work butter into dry ingredients, smashing it between your fingers and flattening it between your palm until there are lots of thin shards and pea-size bits. Add reserved scallions and toss to evenly distribute.
Create a well in the center of mixture and add 1¼ cups sour cream to the center. Using a fork and working in circles, mix until large shaggy clumps form. If your bowl is wide enough, fold dough over itself a couple of times inside it until it comes together.
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Pat dough into an 8×4” rectangle about 1” thick.
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Working from a short side, fold dough in thirds as you would a letter. It doesn’t need to overlap perfectly. Pat dough into another 8×4” rectangle, then fold dough in thirds like a letter one more time. (You’ll have done the folding procedure two times total.) Pat dough back into an 8×4” rectangle and straighten up with your hands and/or your bench scraper. (This folding method is what will create those nice flaky layers in your final biscuits.)
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Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 4 squares for a total of 8 biscuits.
Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops gently with melted butter; sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Bake biscuits until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream or butter.
Ready for the oven – already you can tell they are perfect.
Just look at all those flaky layers – it comes from the folding technique.
If you want more concise instructions on how to make these, pop on over to the Bon Appetit website, and check out their “Basically” section. Molly Baz made these, and not only are her instructions (complete with short videos) simply perfect, these biscuits are divine.