Perfect Breakfast Biscuits

In terms of baking, biscuits are right up my alley. Fifteen minutes from start to finish and the secret is to keep it simple, not work too hard or too long. This is my kind of meal!

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Southern Style Buttermilk Biscuit

Sweet Cream Biscuit

The Perfect Crumb

Making biscuits is so easy you could do it every day with the stuff you already have in your cupboards. I made two types today: Southern Buttermilk and Sweet Cream. They are both very easy if you follow some simple tricks and words of wisdom.


Buttermilk Biscuits
makes 10 2.5 inch biscuits

1.5 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
plus a pinch of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold or frozen lard, diced
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
Melted butter for finishing

Sift together dry ingredients several times. Toss the cold lard into the dry ingredients. Quickly smash the lard pieces into flat discs with your fingers, then crumble the lard into the flour until some are sandy sized pieces and some are pea-sized pieces. If things are warming up, place this in the fridge for five minutes. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour in the cold buttermilk. Fold together until the mixture has just combined and picked up most of the flour from the bowl (add extra milk as needed to make a sticky moist dough). Do not over mix.

With floured hands, place your rough dough onto a well floured counter top. Press it into a 1 to 2 inch thick flat mass, then fold into thirds (like a letter) one way and then the other ( i.e. fold the top down, fold the bottom up, then fold the left side in and lastly the right side in). You'll end up with what looks like a block of rough dough. Press the dough flat again and fold into thirds. Roll out with a floured rolling pin to a 1/2 inch thick round. Prick the dough all over in 1/2 inch intervals with a fork. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter and arrange on a baking sheet so they're almost touching. Bake at 500F for 6 to 10 minutes in the top third of your oven then brush with melted butter. Serve hot.


Sweet Cream Biscuits
makes 10 2.5 inch biscuits

1.5 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
plus a pinch of baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons frozen butter, grated
3/4 cup cold heavy cream
Sugar for finishing

Sift together dry ingredients several times. Toss the grated butter into the dry ingredients. Crumble the butter into the flour until most are sandy sized pieces and some are pea-sized pieces. If things are warming up, place this in the fridge for five minutes. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour in the cold heavy cream. Fold together until the mixture has just combined and picked up most of the flour from the bowl (add extra cream or milk as needed to make a sticky moist dough). Do not over mix.

With floured hands, place your rough dough onto a well floured counter top. Press it into a 1 to 2 inch thick flat mass, then fold into thirds (like a letter) one way and then the other ( i.e. fold the top down, fold the bottom up, then fold the left side in and lastly the right side in). You'll end up with what looks like a block of rough dough. Press the dough flat again and fold into thirds. Roll out with a floured rolling pin to a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter and sprinkle with fine sugar. Bake at 475F for 6 to 10 minutes in the center of your oven. Serve hot.

Notes:
The secret to light and flaky biscuits is to not over work your dough, but also to work it just enough. It might take a few tries to get the feel of it.

There are a few differences between these two recipes. Some are tradition and others have a purpose. Pricking your buttermilk dough is traditional, for example. Baking your sweet biscuits further from the heat source (in the center of the oven) keeps your sugar from browning too fast. And a couple differences are because that's how I happen to do it. You'll be sure to find your own methods after a few attempts of your own.

Better to have a slightly wet dough than too dry. Moister dough will rise lighter. Add liquid if things seem on the dry side while folding your liquid into the flour.

Don't twist your biscuit cutter when you cut your rounds. It will seal the edges of your dough and prevent your biscuits from rising.

Don't re-roll your scraps. Bake them on top of baked beans or a stew or simply bake in little chunks and enjoy.

In many places outside of the US, our "biscuits" are known as "scones" and our "scones" are known as "rock cakes".




Whatever you want to call them, here's how I prefer to eat them:

Hot with butter and honey. Yum!

Enjoy your day!