Sometimes I am served biscuits that are so tall, they remind me of birthday cake. They're okay, but they aren't like the biscuits my grandmother made for me as a kid, the kind that she used to stack in tall heaps at her boarding house. Real biscuits should have a slightly crunchy crust with a soft interior—just like these.
Ingredients:
Makes about 14 biscuits
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
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1 cup cake flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon salt
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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
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3/4 cup buttermilk , as needed
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly with a few pea-size pieces of butter. Stir in enough of the buttermilk to make a soft, sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Quickly knead the dough just until it comes together; do not overknead. Pat or roll out the dough until it is 1/2-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Gather up the scraps, knead briefly, and repeat until all the dough has been used.
Bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes.
Variations:
Biscuits with Cheddar, Chives, and Pepper
Cut up 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese into the flour mixture with the butter. Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives and 1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper, then stir in the buttermilk.
From Back to the Table by Art Smith
Nutritional Information:
97 calories, 3.7 grams fat, 2.3 grams saturated fat, 10 mg of cholesterol, 264 mg sodium, 13.7 grams carbohydrate, 2.0 grams protein, 0.3 grams fiber