Buttermilk Biscuits
Mighty and tall, flaky and all, biscuits hold memories and emotions that cling to you like butter and jam.
American biscuits came about pre Civil War when slaves who were cooks created a lighter and more palatable yet still sustainable for a long days work in the fields. However, biscuits didn’t gain nationwide acclaim until 1952 when the now KFC opened its first franchise in UT.
Today biscuits are loved and admired all across America. When I was in culinary school we were taught biscuits were classified as quick breads, breads that didn’t require yeast and use a chemical leavener such as baking powder.
Biscuit dough should be kneaded enough to form layers of flakiness but not so much that your dough becomes tough and biscuits are dense. In culinary terms the biscuit method is referred to as a way of cutting in your fat either shortening, lard or butter in with your dry ingredients until a small pea size. Then the liquid is added mixed until combined and dough comes together. Once turned out you will want to knead it by pressing it over and onto itself several times while rotating. Whatever you do please don’t over knead, you still want to see some of those bits and pieces of fat in your dough. There are where your layers will form.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Bread Flour 10 oz
AP Flour 10 oz
Kosher salt 1/2 oz
Sugar 1 oz
Baking powder 1 1/4 oz
Shortening (fat) 3.5 oz
Butter 4 oz
Milk 13 oz
Directions
Cut in butter/shortening to all dry ingredients until small quarter size pieces form. Use a pastry cutter or your hands, which ever you are most comfortable with.
Form a well in the center of the mixture and pour in milk and mix until combined. Turn dough out onto the counter surface and knead for approximately 30 seconds.
Pat dough out until approximately 1/2 in thickness and then give it a gentle once or twice over with the rolling pin to smooth out. Using round biscuit cutters cut out biscuits and place side by side touching one another on your sheet pan. Bake at 400 for 10 min until golden brown.
By the biscuits touching one another it forces them to rise tall instead of spreading wide.
