Ham + Cheddar Biscuit Bake with Maple Dijonnaise

Sometimes you just need a good biscuit in your life, you know what I mean? For me, biscuits were always one of those things that I couldn’t seem to get right. I tried making them with butter, buttermilk, and everything in between, and for some reason the results never seemed to hold up to my biscuit standards. That is, until I tried this recipe from Food52, which uses heavy cream instead of butter or buttermilk.

If you think about it, cream is basically butter in liquid form. Typically in a biscuit recipe, you rely on the cold butter or buttermilk to create steam as it heats up, causing the biscuits to rise. Because the heavy cream has more liquid content than pure butter, there’s a perfect opportunity here for that steam to occur, which in turn leaves you with incredibly fluffy biscuits. Science aside, let’s just say that these have become known as “Joy Biscuits” in our house…if that doesn’t convince you to make them, just keep reading.

I’ve made these biscuits a million times, with a million different ingredients mixed in. Cheeses, herbs, spices…you name it, I’ve tried it. They always work, and they come out perfect every time. The trick here is not to overwork the dough. Stir it with the fork until it just comes together to form a shaggy, terribly-mixed blob, and then knead it a few times until it holds together enough to form whichever shape you want to cut from.

I made way too many Joy Biscuits for Christmas, so the next day when we had company over again, I decided to revamp the no longer fresh leftovers into this delicious biscuit bake, complete with ham, cheese, and a sauce that will make you want to slap your grandma. I’ll even dare to say that the resulting biscuit bake was more delicious than the biscuits themselves! 

If you’re looking for a last-minute appetizer for New Years Eve that’s basically comfort food disguised as a fancy appetizer, then this is going to be the answer to achieving that cocktail party menu of your dreams. Plus, this is the perfect way to soak up copious amounts of alcohol in your belly, and your friends will love you forever and ever. 

Ham + Cheddar Biscuit Bake
Serves 8-10    

Butter, for the pan
1 batch Chive Biscuits, cooled and halved through the middle (recipe below)
8-12 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
12-16 slices black forest ham
1 batch Maple Dijonnaise (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Butter a 9x13-inch rimmed baking dish, and put the bottom halves of each biscuit into the bottom of the dish. Top with 1 layer of cheese (about 4-6 slices,) add 2 layers of black forest ham, followed by another layer of cheese. Drizzle a few large spoonfuls of sauce over everything, and put the remaining biscuit halves on top. 

Cover with foil, and bake 15-20 minutes until everything is melted and gooey. Cool slightly, cut into pieces, and serve with extra sauce on the side.

Chive Biscuits
Makes 8-9 biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 TB baking powder
¼ to ½ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and chives in a mixing bowl, stirring with a fork to blend. 

Slowly add the cream to the dry ingredients, stirring constantly with the fork, until the dough just holds together. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface for about 1 minute. Pat it into a half-inch thick round and use a sharp knife to it cut into 8 wedges. You can also pat it into a ½ inch thick square-ish shape, and cut it into 9 squares.

Arrange the biscuits 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet and brush the tops of the biscuits with a bit more cream. Sprinkle with salt, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve warm with plenty of butter and/or honey. 

Maple Dijonnaise
Makes about 1 cup

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 to 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup Dijon mustard

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. 

Happy New Year, everyone!  
Cheers! Alex