Equipment
Ingredients
Coffee-Sriracha Mayonnaise
- 3 g instant coffee granules
- 5 ml hot water
- 100 g mayonnaise
- 15 g sriracha sauce
- 5 g maple syrup
Biscuits
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g baking powder
- 4 g kosher salt
- 2 g baking soda
- 115 g unsalted butter, frozen solid
- 180 ml buttermilk, ice cold
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted, for finishing
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 366 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 617 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 102 mg
- Calcium
- 149 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 111 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 132 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 31 g
- Caffeine
- 12 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 220 C (425 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the instant coffee granules in the hot water. Add the mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, and maple syrup. Whisk until completely smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda.
Using a box grater, grate the frozen unsalted butter directly into the flour mixture. Toss the grated butter gently with your fingers to ensure all pieces are coated in flour and not clumping together.
Make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour in the ice-cold buttermilk. Using a fork, stir gently just until a shaggy dough begins to form. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rough rectangle, then fold it in half over itself. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, pat it out again, and fold. Repeat this lamination process 3 more times to build flaky layers.
Pat the folded dough out to an even 2.5 cm (1 inch) thickness. Using a floured biscuit cutter, press straight down into the dough without twisting. Pull straight up to release. Gather the scraps gently, pat out once more, and cut the remaining biscuits.
Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so their edges are lightly touching. Bake at 220 C (425 F) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen significantly.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately use a pastry brush to coat the tops with the melted butter. Serve warm with the chilled coffee-sriracha mayonnaise.
Chef's Notes
- Grating frozen butter is the ultimate cheat code for flawless biscuits. It creates the perfect size of butter shards for steam generation during baking, creating incredibly flaky layers without the hassle of cutting butter in with a pastry blender.
- Never twist the biscuit cutter. Twisting seals the edges of the dough, locking the layers together and severely limiting how high the biscuits can rise.
- Placing the biscuits on the baking sheet so their sides are gently touching forces them to rise upward rather than spreading outward, resulting in taller, fluffier biscuits.
- The instant coffee in the mayonnaise brings a deep, earthy roasted note that bridges the gap between the buttery richness of the biscuit and the sharp, acidic heat of the Sriracha.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store the mayonnaise in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store biscuits separately at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate to extend shelf life.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: Reheat baked biscuits in a 175 C (350 F) oven for 5 to 7 minutes until warm and crisp.
Troubleshooting
Biscuits did not rise
Cause: Twisting the biscuit cutter sealed the edges, or the butter and buttermilk were not cold enough.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Press the cutter straight down and pull straight up. Keep dairy ingredients strictly chilled or frozen until the exact moment of use.
Tough, heavy biscuits
Cause: Overworking and kneading the dough, which develops too much gluten.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Handle the dough as little and as gently as possible, mixing only until just combined.
Mayonnaise is too bitter or overpowering
Cause: Incorrect ratio of coffee or failure to balance with maple syrup.
Fix: Add an extra 15g to 30g of plain mayonnaise and an extra drop of maple syrup to dilute the flavor.
Prevention: Measure the instant coffee precisely and taste the mayonnaise as you mix.
Cultural Context
Southern buttermilk biscuits are a cornerstone of American culinary history, relying on the chemical reaction between acidic buttermilk and alkaline leavening agents to achieve their legendary height and tenderness. Pairing this deeply traditional comfort staple with a boldly modern, Asian-American inspired coffee-Sriracha mayonnaise creates a fusion dish that honors the structural perfection of the classic biscuit while aggressively updating its flavor profile.
