Biscuits with Chives and Parsley

Flavorful, airy biscuits that are easy to make, using an unusual ingredient: Cake Flour -- this gives them a lighter texture.

Ingredients
1pkg dry yeast (1/4oz /1T)
2Tbsp, warm water
1Tbsp Sugar (plus more for batter)

Dry Ingredients
1.5C All Purpose Flour
1.5C Cake Flour
2T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1T sugar

Other Ingredients
1 stick (1/2C) cold butter, cut into peanut-to-pea-sized chunks

1/4C chopped Chives or green scallions (green part only), chopped
1/4C chopped flat-leaved or regular parsley

1C Buttermilk, room-temperature

Tops
Melted butter (for brushing)
Course kosher salt or better, sea-salt flakes

Technique:
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Activate the yeast
In a small bowl, add yeast, sugar, and tepid water (warm, not hot)
Stir
Allow yeast to foam (10 to 15 mins)

In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. 

With a sharp knife, cut the butter into irregular chunks, pea-to-peanut-sized.  No need to be cosmetic.  If the house is warm, put the cut butter in the freezer for a few minutes.  Toss the butter chunks in the flour to coat.

Once all the butter is cut, aggressively reach into the mixture and squeeze the chunks, pinching your fingertips to flatten them.  Work quickly, keeping the butter cold and solid as you can.  Toss and squeeze, leaving obvious butter "flakes" in the mix.

Toss in the greens.

Slowly pour the buttermilk, mixing the best as you can.  Ultimately the spoon will fail.

With your hands, reach into the mixture with your fingers and work the liquid into the flour.  This does not have to be perfect.  Grab, squeeze, and massage the flour and buttermilk, until most of the dry ingredients are moist.  Work quickly. 


Kneading 
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Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured counter and knead with the heal of your hands.  Fold the dough back on itself, and knead, folding several times until the dough comes together.  Dust with flour if too sticky.  Do not over-work. 

Pat the dough into a rough, squaretangular shape, about 3/4" to 1" thick slab.

Use a 2" biscuit cutter (or use a small juice glass), cut biscuit rounds. 
Place cut biscuits on an ungreased metal cookie sheet, spacing about 1/2" apart.
Gather the scraps and re-form into a new slab.

Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for an hour or so.
While waiting, pre-heat oven to 425F

Baking
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Brush tops with melted butter (or melted butter and honey!)
As a garnish, sprinkle with salt

Bake 425F for 12 - 15 minutes
Look for a light browning on the top.  (The timing is inexact because ovens are different, as I learned at Grandma's house)

Yields:  18 or so biscuits.  Some will be lost to sampling.  A price that must be paid.