Tender, flaky, buttery biscuits, loaded with parmesan cheese and a hint of black pepper. They even get a sweet crunch from a sprinkle of demerara sugar!
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper and grated cheese. Whisk to combine and add the butter. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal -- it's ok to have some larger, pea-sized pieces of butter too. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough 2-3 times until it holds together in a solid shape - but don't overwork it. Pat out the dough until it's about 1½" tall. Use a 2" biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits -- do not twist the cutter in the dough -- just press straight down. Assemble the scraps pat them into another 1½" tall form, and continue making biscuits. Transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the demerara sugar with the remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Serve hot from the oven.