Maple Chili Butter and Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Photo: 1833 Restaurant

From: Chef Levi Mezick, 1833 Restaurant, Monterey, CA. Yield: 12 biscuits.

Biscuits:
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 pinch of nutmeg
6 oz. unsalted butter, softened (1½ sticks)
1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp, drained and chopped into small pieces (1½ cups)
4 oz. Gruyere, shredded (about 1½ cups)
6 oz. yellow Cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 cup buttermilk

Maple Chili Butter:
1/8 tsp. arbole chili powder
4 oz. butter
¼ tsp. maple syrup
to taste, sea salt

For maple chili butter: Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust with salt. Refrigerate.

For bacon cheddar biscuits: Sift together dry ingredients. Place in bowl of stand mixer with paddle. Add softened butter and mix on low speed until butter is almost all combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and incorporate bacon and cheese mix. While mixing on low speed, pour in buttermilk to incorporate until just blended. Do not let dough fully come together, or overwork it. Move racks to middle of oven; preheat to 350°F.

Turn dough onto floured surface; press or roll out to about ½” to ¾” thickness; fold in thirds and repeat. Starting at one end, roll out on full ungreased rimmed sheet pan to height of sheet pan (will cover about half the pan) Cut into 12 3” squares with a floured bench scraper or knife. Chill for 10 minutes. Bake at 350°F; rotate and return to oven for 10-12 more minutes until biscuits are a light golden color.