Ingredients
1-1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour1-1/2 cups (188 grams) cake flour1/4 teaspoon sugar2 tablespoons (26 grams) baking powder1 teaspoon fine sea salt1 cup (227 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes1/2 cup (30 grams) chopped scallions2 cups (227 grams) shredded sharp cheddar cheese1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper1-1/2 to 2 cups (355 to 473 milliliters) buttermilk, room temperature1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
Preparation
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter; toss to coat. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, or pinch it with your fingertips, smearing it into the flour. You should have various-sized pieces of butter, ranging from coarse sandy patches to flat shaggy pieces to pea-sized chunks. Stir in the scallions, cheese and pepper.
Make a well in the center, pour in 1-1/2 cups buttermilk and gently mix until mixture is crumbly but starting to come together into a shaggy mass. If the dough still looks too dry, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk. The dough should be moist and slightly sticky.
Turn the dough onto itself a few times until it forms a mass. Gently pat down the dough until it resembles a loaf of bread. Dust the top lightly with flour.
Using a 3-ounce (89 ml) ice cream scoop, portion dough 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten biscuits.
Lightly brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until biscuits are golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
