Thursday, July 1, 2010

It's a warm, buttery Summer

A couple weeks ago I wanted buttermilk biscuits. Why? I don't remember. Besides, since when do my food cravings have to be tied to rational thought? It's a well known fact that everything makes me hungry, including and especially the phrase "I wish I were hungry." Good thing I just ate lunch. Now where were we?

Ah yes, Buttermilk Biscuits. This recipe is courtesy Joy the Baker. I could say things about it, but I won't. Just make them. You will understand.

Buttermilk Biscuits
(slightly modified from Joy the Baker, posted March 26, 2009)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, cold
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Add in all the butter, and using either a pastry blender, a fork or your fingers, cut the butter in to the dry ingredients until it looks sandy/grainy. Mix the egg and the buttermilk separately and pour them into the dry ingredients, mixing them at first and then using your hands to press it all together. Knead the dough a few times on a very well-floured cutting board (I recommend flouring the board each time you press the dough on itself again - it gets sticky), then press it out until it is about one inch high. At this point you can use a cookie cutter to cut the biscuits out, or you can cut them into roughly even pieces with a very large, sharp knife. Either way, press straight down and do not saw or twist in the process. It will make the sides of your biscuit all flaky and delish.

Arrange the biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake them for 12 - 15 minutes, until they are slightly golden and fluffy. Enjoy with jam, butter, or anything else you fancy (I've heard mustard and ham is good).

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