Baking Powder Biscuits
heat oven to 450* -- makes about 12 biscuits- 2 cups flour {A.P}
- 1 Tablespoon {=3teaspoons} baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fat, shortening is best {lard,margarine,butter or oil may be used with a few alterations}
- 2/3 cup milk {about}
Put all dry ingredients in a sifter and sift into med. size bowl.
Drop fat by spoonful into sifted dry ingredients and cut in with a knife OR blend gently with fingertips just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. [DO NOT mix together hard or a ball will form and ruin your biscuits!]
Add milk and stir to blend / moisten dough. [you may need a bit more or less milk as flour quality varies, a topic we will cover later] The dough will be quite stiff., turn out onto lightly floured surface and let it rest 10min.
[ TIP; for a floured surface I use an old apron or table cloth. I can use it, shake it out, fold it up and use it again. Quick clean up and also makes picking up pastry dough, like pie crust easy too]
Gently knead dough for 1-2min., pat dough out flat and it fold into itself in quarters, pat out and fold again. { this make the signature layers in the biscuit }.
Roll or pat out to about 1/2 inch thick, cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter {important to use a biscuit cutter for proper / rise in biscuit} and let them rest 5min. before placing in HOT oven.
Place on un-greased baking sheet 12-15min. @450*.
MAKE SURE OVEN IS HOT FOR PROPER HIGH RISE!
TIP; Space biscuits apart, not touching for crusty ones [like shortcake] or have them touching together for soft sides. Lots of variations here; add crumbled bacon, cheese, garlic/herbs,cinnamon sugar
I can go into the "science" of flour, hot ovens, proper tools {like a biscuit cutter},weights & measures and other tips in a column dedicated to that topic.
Recipe by Shawn Conley
