SENATOR HOLLINGS’ CREAM CHEESE BISCUITS

Senator Hollings' Flaky Appetizer Cream Cheese Biscuits.  

These little guys are SO decadent, and are so little that you are guaranteed to obsessively pop them in your mouth as you walk by the plate.  (Hence my urgent need for a diet post-holiday.)

Here is the recipe, which was incredibly easy to make:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cup commercial or homemade self-rising flour

Butter, softened or melted, for finishing

Pulse together the cream cheese, 2/3 cup butter, and 1 cup of flour two or three times in food processor fitted with the knife or dough blade until it comes together in a ball.  Turn the dough out onto waxed paper and divide into two rounds.  Flatten.  Wrap in waxed paper, plastic wrap, or resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly sprinkle a board or other clean surface using some of the 1/3 cup reserved flour.  Sprinkle the top lightly with flour.  With floured hands and a floured rolling pin, roll out one portion of the dough at a time to about 1/4 inch thick.  Fold the dough over to make it 1/2 inch thick.  For each biscuit, dip a 1 to 1 1/4 inch biscuit cutter into reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, starting at the outside edge and cutting very close together, being careful not to twist the cutter.  The scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, although these scraps make tougher biscuits.  Roll out the second portion when ready to bake.

Using a metal spatula if necessary, move the biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet, placing the biscuits 1 inch apart.  Refrigerate the biscuits for 10 to 20 minutes until cold.  Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for a total of 10 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.  After 6 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back, and check to see if the bottoms are browning too quickly.  If so, slide another packing pan underneath to add insulation and retard the browning.  Continue baking another 4 to 6 minutes until the biscuits are light golden brown.  When the biscuits are done, lightly brush the tops with butter.  Turn the biscuits out upside down on a plate to cool slightly.  Serve hot, right side up.

These biscuits may be frozen, unbaked or baked, and reheated.

If you look closely you can see the butter glisten off the tops.  Sweet Mother Mary, but they are good.