Thyme Cream Biscuits

Growing up in Woodstock, our house had lilac trees and lily of the valley outside our kitchen window. The flowers were a common addition to our table and remain two of my favorites. The Chicago apartment I live in now has a gorgeous and well-tended backyard, and I was delighted this spring when lilacs and lily of the valley emerged as the primary aromatics. Their heady spring perfume reminds me of that old house and my childhood on Jefferson Street. 

I spent Saturday at a work-related conference and most of Sunday tackling items on my to-do-list.  In the past few weeks I have revived my weekend baking routine and I wanted to put something in the oven even if I was a bit short on time. I had book-marked this recipe for Thyme-Maple Cream Biscuits from the March 2009 issue of Gourmet Magazine and they seemed like the perfect project. 

Thyme Cream Biscuits

Adapted from Gourmet

Ingredients

2 C cake flour (not self-rising)
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 C heavy cream
4 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 Tbl pure maple syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the cream, thyme and maple syrup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Turn onto a lightly floured counter and lightly press the dough until it is half an inch thick. Cut into approximately one and a half inch squares or cut using a similarly sized cookie cutter. Place the biscuits an inch apart on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.