Better Baking Powder Biscuits

So I’ve decided to start a blog!  I am now one of thousands of food bloggers out there on the world-wide web.  Check out my About Me page to get to know me a bit better or my Contact Me page to shoot me a message.  But back to the post… The first thing I happened to bake after deciding I would start a blog, was Baking Powder Biscuits.

 

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Baking Powder Biscuits

 

I got this recipe from the Instructions and Recipe booklet that came with my KitchenAid mixer.  I absolutely adore my KitchenAid mixer! It’s the most perfect shade of yellow and it is so handy to have.  It’s super big to move around, but I’ve found that placing a dish towel under it makes it so much easier to move around, while still being steady while mixing.  This is definitely a tool to have in your kitchen!  We used our tax return to buy this for me one year.

But back to biscuits. I don’t know about you, but, personally, I’ve found making biscuits – or anything really- from scratch seemed a tad intimidating. There’s only a handful of ingredients, how could I possibly make those into the flaky bites of heaven I’m so fond of?  Well, don’t fret!  They really are super easy to make and I can guide you through the whole process.  

 

 

Let’s Dish

 

Biscuits are absolutely delish!  Their flaky, soft layers are delicious under copious amounts of butter and honey, or a side to a tasty southern meal.  I’m a huge fan of this particular baked good (not that I’m picky about baked goods).  And this recipe is great because baking powder biscuits don’t need buttermilk!  But if you’re looking for buttermilk biscuits, check out these Buttermilk Drop Biscuits.

Buttermilk and biscuits are like peas and carrots.  But I don’t keep buttermilk on hand, generally speaking.  Now, you can always sour your own milk with some lemon juice or vinegar, but there’s another option.  Baking powder biscuits get their rise from, well, baking powder, which is heat activated.  If you’re interested in the differences in ingredients, be sure to check out the Ingredient Glossary in the Bakes & Blunders Resource Library.  (Haven’t subscribed yet?  Do that here!)

 

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Better Biscuits… Step By Step

 

The first thing to keep in mind is keeping the fats cold, and to not over work the dough.  When I start to prep the ingredients for this recipe, I like to throw the bowl I’ll use in the fridge and put the butter and shortening in the freezer.  I also suggest dicing the butter before placing it in the freezer. This will make it easier to combine with the flour later on.  You don’t want everything to freeze, just to get super cold.

It’s also important to be gentle with the dough.  If you over work it, too much gluten will develop and you’ll end up with hard, tough biscuits.  Boo.  Use a pastry blender to work the fat into the dry ingredients, or speed things up with a food processor.  You want the fat to be well dispersed, and there should be pea sized chunks in the dough.

 

 

 

Shaping the Biscuits

 

Add half of the milk and stir gently to combine.  Once it has just come together, add the remaining milk until you have a soft dough.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently until you have a soft, pliable dough.  Roll it out to a ½ inch thickness and use a 3 inch cutter to punch out some biscuits. I used a smaller 2 inch circle cutter as the original recipe suggested, but this made tiny bite sized biscuits and I prefer them to be a bit bigger.

Place the biscuits on your prepared baking sheet.  They can either be spaced out, or place them right alongside each other in rows.  This helps them rise well as they support each other (how sweet!). The sides of your biscuit will be softer this way, so it’s personal preference.  Gently press the remaining dough together and knead once or twice before rolling back out and punching biscuits out again.  

 

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Enjoy!

 

These are super tasty and easy baking powder biscuits.  I like to serve them warm with butter and jam, or butter and honey!  (Josh is a HUGE fan of biscuits with butter and honey.) We do a breakfast for dinner situation whenever I decide to make biscuits.  A big ole plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and flaky, tender biscuits. I’m convinced breakfast is the best meal ever and we should eat it at every meal.  Just sayin’.

In the future, I’d like to try subbing in a tablespoon of bacon grease for some of the shortening.  The bacon grease is a bit soft, but I imagine it would add a nice depth of flavor. I would also consider using butter flavored shortening.  I’ve never used it before, but I imagine it would up the butter flavor quite nicely.  If you try any of these variations, let me know in the comments.  I’d love to hear how they turned out for you.  And don’t forget to share this recipe with a friend.  Especially one who will bake with you!

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