Cornmeal Biscuits

Makes 8 biscuits

2½       cups cake flour, plus more for shaping

½         cup yellow cornmeal, preferably medium grind

1½       tablespoons baking powder

1          tablespoon granulated sugar

¾         teaspoon sea salt

4         tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

2         cups heavy cream, cold

Egg wash

1       large egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Reserve.
2. Put the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a food processor work bowl fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process to sift, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until small pieces form and are coated with flour. While pulsing, add the heavy cream through the feed tube. Pulse until very few dry bits of flour are visible. The dough will be very sticky; that is OK. 
3. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface, and generously dust the top of the dough with additional flour. With floured hands, gently form the dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Fold one-third of the dough toward the center, and then fold the opposite side over that (like folding a letter to put into an envelope). Dust the top lightly with flour, turn 180 degrees, and then repeat the folding and turning process 2 additional times (this is what helps to create the desired layers in biscuits).