Bake

British Crab-Stuffed Cheddar Biscuits

by:
September 16, 2024
5
1 Ratings
British Crab-Stuffed Cheddar Biscuits
Photo by Ty Mecham
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • makes 12 biscuits
Author Notes

Homemade biscuits may seem like quite the undertaking for those of us who aren’t the strongest of bakers, but this drop biscuit method is honestly as easy as it gets. The addition of British cheddar, in this case Godminster Bruton Beauty cheddar, makes it feel more substantial, and the crab filling is downright indulgent. Feel free to make both of these components separately, the crab mixture would make an out of this world dip, but the combination of the two invokes American seafood restaurant nostalgia. Note: You can use Scottish crab or lump crabmeat. —César Pérez

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is shared in partnership with GREAT British Food. —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the crab filling:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 16 butter crackers (such as Ritz, Club, or Town House), crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
  • 1 pound Scottish wild-caught crabmeat, or lump crabmeat, cooked
  • For the cheddar biscuits:
  • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, frozen, grated
  • 6 ounces English Godminster Bruton Beauty Cheddar, cold, grated
  • 1 cup whole milk, cold
  • 1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Butter, for greasing the tin
  • Milk, for brushing the biscuits before baking
Directions
  1. Prepare the crab filling: In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed crackers, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, celery seeds, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well to combine. Gently fold in the lump crabmeat, breaking up the crabmeat slightly but ensuring there are still lumps of crab. Avoid overmixing.
  2. Make the biscuit dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well. On the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized pieces of butter remain. Grate the cheddar into the bowl and toss until all the cheddar is coated in the dry mixture. Pour in the cold milk and fold it in until the dough is just hydrated and no dry spots remain, ensuring not to overwork the dough.
  3. Assembly and baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter a standard 12-count cupcake/muffin tin. Spoon a tablespoon of biscuit dough into each cup and flatten with the back of a spoon. Top with a heaping tablespoon of crab mixture, and finish with another tablespoon of biscuit dough, flattening again. If any crab mixture remains, serve it alongside the biscuits once baked. Brush the tops of the biscuits with milk and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until an inserted instant-read thermometer reads 200°-210°F/93° to 98°C. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the biscuits from the tin with a fork or an offset spatula.
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César Pérez

Recipe by: César Pérez

Recipe Developer & Food52 Test Kitchen Content Creator

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