Cardamom Cheese Biscuits

I think I've died and gone to cheese biscuit heaven!

And the fact that this also has the gorgeous aroma of cardamom in it, makes it even more heavenly! (Is there anywhere better than heaven?)

You know how it is when you're looking at a ton of recipes and then one suddenly jumps out of the page and grabs you by the ... uh ... chompbuds, and you just need to make that straight away?

That's how this happened.

Also because I'm a sucker for cheeses.

And a sucker for cardamom.

Double whammy!

I'd cardamomize everything if I could. Cardamom room freshener, cardamom lip balm, cardamom shampoo ... you get the idea.

Go check out Veronika and her brain and her original recipe for this. She calls her's "puffs" altho mine didn't puff as much but still very light and flaky, so I renamed it "biscuits". I did some minor changes as well (as expected), since I know she's adjusting for her egg white allergic, tall, not-so-blond and handsome.

I've also taken the easy way out by using the food processor. Hard-core bakers .... head out to Veronika's.

Meanwhile, back at Lazyville ....

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (I'd suggest a little more for a more pronounced aroma)

125 g cold salted butter, cut into cubes (if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt)

1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used something called Calico, which is a blend of Cheddar & Monterey Jack and some Pecorino. You can use your own favorite mix)

1 egg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200˚C.

Place flour, salt (if using), cardamom and baking powder in a food processor. Give it a buzz or two to mix.

Add in cold butter and buzz until you get a sandy mix.

Add in cheese. Buzz to mix.

Add in slightly beaten egg and buzz again until you get a nice soft dough.

Remove from food processor, wrap in plastic and leave in the fridge for about 10 mins.

Roll out to about 1/2 cm thick.

Cut out into shapes using a cookie cutter or just cut into squares or triangles.

Bake for about 10 - 12 mins until cookies are just about turning brown at the edges.

Eat warm or freeze and reheat.