Biscuits

The secret of light fluffy biscuits is not to over work the dough.  Once the liquid is combined with the flour, stir only enough to form a cohesive dough.  Most recipes call for a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 for the flour: fat ratio.  Being health conscious we tend to use the 4:1 ratio now.  I would use the 3:1 if using milk, or 4:1 if using buttermilk.  I prefer shortening or lard, butter can be used if necessary, but the texture is different and the color is affected. (Try butter flavored shortening if you like the buttery flavor).

Traditionally the biscuit is split and stuffed with butter or jam. Some cooks now brush the top of the biscuits with butter when taking out of the oven now instead. I can see how this might reduce the fat- provided that you don't stuff them as well.

Many people prefer biscuits using self-rising flour to avoid the bitterness of baking soda. (Some people are more sensitive to the bitterness than others.)

Biscuits with Self-Rising Flour

2 cups self-rising flour
¼ cup shortening or lard
1 cup milk or buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put the flour in a bowl.  With a pastry cutter or your fingers rub the shortening into the flour until the texture is like cornmeal.
3. Form a hole or well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the milk or buttermilk into the well.
4. Use your fork to stir the flour into the milk, stirring in a circle so that a little more flour is incorporated with each pass.
5. Roll out dough to ½ inch and cut with a 2 inch cutter, or pull off balls of dough and flatten with your fingers.  (I prefer flattening the balls since it avoids additional working of the dough.)
6. Place biscuits onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

 

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl.  With a pastry cutter or your fingers rub the shortening into the flour until the texture is like cornmeal.
3. Form a hole or well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well.
4. Use your fork to stir the flour into the buttermilk, stirring in a circle so that a little more flour is incorporated with each pass.
5. Roll out dough to ½ inch and cut with a 2 inch cutter, or pull off balls of dough and flatten with your fingers.  (I prefer flattening the balls since it avoids additional working of the dough.)
6. Place biscuits onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.