Buttermilk Biscuits
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| Buttermilk reacts to baking soda to produce gas to give biscuits lift. |
Made two batches of these babies. The first batch was a little flat so I added more leavening the second time which made them nice and fluffy. They freeze well. Excellent for making breakfast sandwiches.
--Barbara
Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes 8 to 10 biscuits
2 cups (250 grams) self-rising flour (White Lily brand)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. sugar
6 T. cold unsalted butter, shaved
3/4 cup cold whole buttermilk
plus 1 T. for brushing the tops before baking
Shave butter and put in fridge or freezer to keep it very cold until needed.
In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar and whisk together.
Add butter shavings, toss to coat them with the flour mixture.
Then use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour by pressing your thumb and middle finger together in a windshield-washer motion, until the butter is absorbed into the flour and becomes the size of peas.
Put the whole bowl in the freezer until needed.
Measure out 3/4 cup of cold buttermilk in a Pyrex measuring cup with a pour spout.
Also put it in the fridge to keep it cold until needed.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Flour a cutting board.
When ready to bake the biscuits, bring out the bowl and the buttermilk.
Slowly pour the buttermilk over the mixture, then combine it with the flour until the dough holds together.
Turn it out on to the floured board.
Press into a rectangle, about 6 inches by 9 inches.
Fold it into thirds. Rotate. Do this two more times to create a lamination of the butter.
Layering will make flakiness.
Press into 1/2 inch thickness. (Measure.)
Using a sharp biscuit cutter, cut out 2.5 inch rounds and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
You will have to redo the dough to get 8 to 10 biscuits.
Brush tops with buttermilk.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on rack.
Freeze very well. Reheat at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
B