Yes, I have been gone a LONG time. No, there is no excuse. I can only say, “Sometimes life gets in the way of my other pursuits.”
So, since January 1 I have been in search of the perfect biscuit. My family loves biscuits (as much as one can love something light, flaky, and buttery) and it has been a personal goal to deliver to them something close to what I have eaten in restaurants and thought, “Wow. This biscuit is amazing.” I was looking for: the flakiness of canned biscuits, the flavor of homemade, and something easy enough for a Non Cook/Baker (that would be me).
We love biscuits and gravy, biscuits in a recipe we call “rechargers,” biscuits with chicken, and biscuits with just butter and honey. I used my mom’s recipe for a good 10 years (it was “not great”), then I had three kids one right after another and used Bisquick for at least 5 years (worse than “not great”), then I spent at least all of last year and this year until today modifying recipes I would find in various places (this mostly ranged from “worse than not great” to inedible). I learned a lot about making biscuits and what I don’t like in a biscuit (buttermilk, “healthy” biscuits – it’s just wrong – biscuits which exchange height for flavor). I might add that it’s a good thing I make really yummy sausage gravy which could basically disguise the taste of any awful biscuit.
You may recall I made a new year’s resolution to eat LESS processed food. I found that canned biscuits and Bisquick would have to go. (And no, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that this recipe, when doubled for my family, contains an entire stick of butter. All I can say is: It gives me peace of mind to know how to spell and say all the ingredients and know where they come from.). So, that brings me back to my pursuit of the Biscuit. This morning, success was found. And, yes, I will share (the recipe).
2 cups flour
4 t baking powder
3 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
2/3 cup of milk
Combine the dry ingredients and cut in the butter. Leaving a FEW larger pieces of butter and the rest about the consistency of cornmeal makes for a yummy flavor. Beat the egg with the milk and stir that into the dry ingredients just until moist. I have learned in my “biscuit research” not to knead the dough too much because it makes the biscuits tough. So, I basically just moistened it, and turned it out onto a floured surface. I gathered it and then almost immediately started patting it out. I didn’t roll it so the biscuits were a little oddly shaped, but super flaky. I used whole milk and real unsalted butter. I doubled the recipe and padded the dough down to about 2 inches. This allowed me to make 12 biscuits. Right before popping into the 450 degree oven for 12 minutes I brushed the tops with milk. The result: perfection. The tops came off in flaky layers (JUST like canned biscuits) AND the flavor was amazing. If you love biscuits, I highly recommend this recipe.
God Bless You! I will be making this this weekend even if I have to make the butter myself, which is a real possibility, would believe that Malawi has a butter shortage???? Sheez! See you soon!
had to eat several more for “dinner” last night just to make sure they were as good as i originally thought. good news: they are. ;o)
I think real butter is the key. We love using buttermilk too.
i tried buttermilk and i must have screwed up because couldn’t get the flavor right. thanks for the read. :o)