GOAT CHEESE AND BLACK PEPPER BISCUITS WITH SMOKED SALMON AND DILL

Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Biscuits with Smoked Salmon and Dill image

Yield Makes about 16

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup buttermilk
European-style butter (such as Plugrá), room temperature
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 large bunch fresh dill sprigs

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter into dry ingredients until coarse meal forms. Add cheese and buttermilk; stir with fork just until dough comes together (bits of cheese will be visible in dough).
Pat dough out on lightly floured surface into 3/4-inch-thick round. Using floured 2-inch-diameter cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather scraps and pat dough out; cut out additional biscuits. Arrange on prepared baking sheets and bake 6 minutes. Turn sheets; bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. Cool biscuits on rack. (Biscuits can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Split biscuits in half horizontally. Spread bottom halves with thin layer of butter. Divide salmon among biscuits. Top each with dill sprig and biscuit top.