Biscuits and More Biscuits - Which flour?

Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Making homemade buttermilk biscuits is one of my earliest memories from working in the kitchen. Learning by observation began at a young age by watching and helping Nanny and Mom. I loved sampling a taste of just about everything when they were preparing meals, especially biscuits! (Oh, and cheese ... anything using cheese!)

Biscuits and More Biscuits - Which flour?

Experimenting

Over time, I began baking different types of bread, using hand-me down recipes, creating and experimenting here and there, including experimenting with different types of flour. Using waffles and biscuits, I compared and contrasted white flour and whole wheat flour. We are accustomed to whole wheat or multi grain breads, rice, and pastas, so the waffles were okay, but the experience with making whole wheat buttermilk biscuits was ... ummmmm .... different.

The texture was spot on - still soft, still fluffy, and the rise was still nice and high. They were beautiful. The taste, however, was definitely different. Topped with gravy or strawberry freezer preserves, they were okay, but it is fair to say, they were not as delicious as my normal buttermilk biscuits. (Normal for us anyway!)

I did research before making whole wheat buttermilk biscuits, and I did 'all the things' suggested when using whole wheat flour instead of white flour, so I was a bit disappointed in the taste since they looked wonderful! One tip I read suggested using sour cream as one of the moisture components to add more flavor. Per usual, I cut butter into my sifted flour and used buttermilk for the liquid, so experimenting with tips such as that would be next! Better, yes, but the same deliciousness as white flour for buttermilk biscuits, no.

We tried another method of making biscuits, but we did not use whole wheat flour. This method of biscuit-making calls for two ingredients ... Literally, just two ingredients -Self-rising flour and heavy cream (then, make per usual). That's it! They were lovely, but I missed the taste of buttermilk - of course!

In the Kitchen with Coalesce Ministries

It is fun to try new methods and ingredients in baking and cooking, and we do quite often, but for the sake of embracing classic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, let's look at one way of making these treasured treats!

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

Biscuit dough

• 2 1/2 cups plain flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), cubed and chilled

• 1 cup cold buttermilk (full fat buttermilk works best)

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), divided into 1/4 cups - one 1/4 cup for cutting into flour and the other 1/4 cup for melting and brushing on tops of biscuits.

  
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Prepare your pan by dusting the bottom and sides with flour. (Preheating the pan is optional. Some people prefer the bottom of their biscuits to be slightly crisp. To achieve this, preheat the oven with butter in the pan - just until the butter is brown.)

3. Sift and gently mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Cut the butter into cubes and combine with the flour mixture, tossing to coat all the butter cubes. With your fingers, flatten each cube of butter, working flour into the butter as you do. Continue until the butter is incorporated into the flour with large and small bits of butter throughout.

5. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix from the inside out, pulling flour into the wet until it no longer pulls flour in. It will be a shaggy, lumpy dough at this point, with loose flour and bits.

6. Dump dough on to a lightly floured counter or a board and work it lightly until it comes together, but don’t over work it. Roll or pat into a rectangle about an inch thick. Fold dough into 3rds, stack the 3rds, and gently roll again (or use hands and gently work). Repeat once more and roll to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits into rounds or squares and work the remaining scraps gently until all are cut. Flour your biscuit cutter as needed. Do not twist or slide your cutter through the dough as this will bind the layers you made, limiting how high your biscuits can rise.

7. Place the biscuits in the pan and into the oven for 12 - 15 minutes. When the biscuits are done, brush with melted butter. Serve immediately.

8. Makes 8-10 biscuits, depending on size of your biscuits.

You know what comes next ... Get in my belly!

Biscuits and More Biscuits!

Biscuits, and More Biscuits!

Give us this day, Our Daily Bread

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