QUICK AND EASY CREAM BISCUITS

"Bake the biscuits immediately after cutting them; letting them stand for any length of time can decrease the leavening power and thereby prevent the biscuits from rising properly in the oven."

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups cream and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough from bowl to countertop, leaving all dry, floury bits behind in bowl. In 1 tablespoon increments, add up to 1/4 cup cream to dry bits in bowl, mixing with wooden spoon after each addition, until moistened. Add these moistened bits to rest of dough and knead by hand just until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Shape the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick round. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or cut into wedges with a knife. Place rounds or wedges on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.

CREAM BISCUITS WITH FRESH HERBS:
Use the herb of your choice in this variation. Follow recipe for Quick and Easy Cream Biscuits, whisking 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs into flour along with sugar, baking powder, and salt.

CREAM BISCUITS WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE:
Follow recipe for Quick and Easy Cream Biscuits, stirring 1/2 cup (2 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese cut into 1/4-inch pieces into flour along with sugar, baking powder, and salt. Increase baking time to 18 minutes.

CREAM BISCUITS WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER:
Follow recipe for Quick and Easy Cream Biscuits, adding 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger to flour along with sugar, baking powder, and salt. Before baking, brush tops of biscuits with 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Makes 8 (2 1/2-inch) biscuits
Source: The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated