"THAT'S A SCONE"
(No, it's Pickle Bickies)
Let’s get one thing straight: biscuits in America are not what we call biscuits here in Australia. A Tim Tam? Biscuit. A Monte Carlo? Biscuit. Dunking an Arnott’s Scotch Finger into your hot bevy? Babes, you’re eating a biscuit.
That said, the word cookie has crept in, mostly thanks to American-style soft or chewy baked goods. If it’s crisp and dunkable, it’s a biscuit. If it’s soft in the middle, we may call it a cookie. And for the record, shortbread? To me, that’s a biscuit.
Anywayyyy, in the US, a biscuit is something entirely different. Think of a scone, but flakier, more buttery, and commonly served with fried chicken, gravy, or honey butter. It’s soft, layered, and pulls apart in fluffy sheets, not the crumbly, slightly sweet scones we’re used to seeing next to our jam and cream.
So, at this pickle party I went to last weekend — where the wonderfully talented Liz Miu put together an imPICKLEble spread of fried pickles, pickle chips, pickle dip, creamy potato and pickle puffs, and cheeseburgers loaded with extra pickles and pickle-y cocktails — I couldn’t show up empty-handed. I figured I’d contribute with some pickle-spiked biscuits. They were great. The biscuit dough was a great canvas for the pops of pickle that cut through the smoky cheddar.
Funnily enough, even with such a spread, no one was pickled out.
Ingredients
420g all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
225g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed + 1 tbsp melted
1 cup cornichons, chopped (reserve 1 tbsp brine)
1 cup shredded smoked cheddar
1 cup buttermilk
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and baking soda until well combined.
Incorporate the butter: Using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits remaining.
Add the bits: Toss in the chopped cornichons and shredded cheese ensuring they're evenly distributed.
Mix in the liquid ingredients: Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk and pickle brine. Gently fold the dough together with a spatula or your hands until it just comes together. Avoid overworking it.
Shape the dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rough rectangle, about 3cm thick. Using a butter knife, cut out 6-8 pieces stacking the pieces on top of each other, pressing down slightly to adhere. Pat the dough back into a 3cm thick slab Repeat this cut-and-stack process two more times (this step builds distinct flaky layers). Finally, cut out the biscuit shapes and place on the lined baking tray.
Rest the dough: transfer the baking tray to your freezer for 10-15 minutes so that they firm up the butter for optimal flakey layers. 30 min in the fridge if you don’t have freezer space.
Brush and bake: Brush the tops with melted butter, then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
Serve immediately. These are best enjoyed fresh!
