date + walnut biscuits with salted honey sour cream
I LOVE a crumbly carb. You know, the type of carb that kind of crumbles when you tear into it, and requires a little cream, jam, or butter that clings to its crumbliness. Think: a scone, biscuit, shortbread. And you know what could make these types of carbs even better? Dates and walnuts!
But that wasn’t just it. It needed a little extra something - a little tangy, salty, honeyed sour cream to balance out the buttery, nutty biscuit. They are perfect in the morning with coffee, in the afternoon as a pick-me-up, or after dinner as a little dessert. They satisfy that crumbly carb craving like no other.
prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 20 minutes | total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
for the biscuits:
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold + 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (11 tbsp. total)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup Medjool dates, chopped
for the salted honey sour cream:
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Cut 10 tbsp. of cold butter into 1-inch cubes, place on a plate, and then place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This helps the butter firm up, which helps those flaky layers later on. Trust me, do this!
While butter is chilling, whisk together dry biscuit ingredients until well combined: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add chopped walnuts and dates and toss in the flour mixture until coated.
Remove butter cubes from the freezer and using your hands, toss in the flour mixture, then smush the butter between your fingers and thumb to flatten the butter. You want to create thin sheets of butter that will cling to the flour, creating a sand-like texture; this will be hard at first (that butter is cold!) but have patience!
Once the flour mixture resembles a dry sand, add in sour cream and honey. Fold the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Then, turn the dough onto a clean surface and continue to knead together until well formed. To add in extra layers, cut the dough in half, and pile on piece on top of the other. Then, flatten the dough into a big rectangle, about 2-inches thick.
Cut dough into 8-10 equal square pieces and place on baking tray. Top with an extra walnut and sliver of date (optional), then brush with the 1 tbsp. melted butter. Bake biscuits for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
While biscuits are baking, make the salted honey sour cream: whisk the three ingredients in a mixing bowl until light and airy, then spoon onto a plate or into a bowl. Place in the fridge to chill while you wait for the biscuits to finish baking.
Allow biscuits to rest for about 5 minutes before diving in with the sour cream :)
