Country Gold

"Always on my mind" biscuits and chocolate gravy with cocoa
Willie Nelson
Serves 12

Grandma made our Christmases simply chocolatey with her buttermilk biscuits and chocolate gravy. We count Grandma’s chocolate recipes among our Christmas treasures, and we think of her often.

INGREDIENTS

Biscuits

• 21/2 cups self-rising white flour
• 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Flour for dusting
Chocolate Gravy

• 11/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional
Cocoa

• 11/4 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 quarts milk

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a baking sheet.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and baking soda in a large bowl. With a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and mix until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface dusted with flour and pat into a ¾-inch-thick circle. Using a 2-inch round cutter or glass, cut the dough into 12 biscuits, gently reshaping the scraps as necessary. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for approximately 8 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

3. To make the chocolate gravy: Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and flour in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of water, followed by the vanilla. Turn the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly. To create a thicker gravy, blend together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Transfer this mix to the chocolate gravy and whisk the gravy over low heat until thickened.

4. To make the cocoa: Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a soup pot. Whisk in 4 cups of water, followed by the milk. Turn the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking often. Turn off the heat.

5. To serve, cut each warm biscuit in half horizontally. Lay both halves, cut side up, in a bowl. Spoon the warm chocolate gravy over the biscuits and serve with a mug of hot cocoa.

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