Biscuit #2

This was the second biscuit I made. All three of the biscuits I made involved buttermilk- I love buttermilk and the tenderness it gives the biscuits. They rose beautifully, were tender and moist, but buttery on the outside. In a word- perfect.

These were obviously my favorite of the 3 I made. The recipe does involve kneading the dough and cutting out rounds, but it was fairly simple. These were also the only biscuits to use cake flour. Cake flour is low in protein so it makes a more tender product.

Here is a list of flours and their protein percentages (from Pinch My Salt's blog):

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Cake flours (Swans Down, Softasilk): 7.5 to 8.5% protein

Bleached southern all-purpose (White Lily, Martha White, Gladiola, Red Band): 7.5 to 9.5% protein

National brand self-rising (Gold Medal, Pillsbury): 9 to 10% protein

National brand bleached all-purpose (Gold Medal, Pillsbury): 10 to 12% protein

Northern all-purpose (Robin Hood, Hecker’s): 11 to 12% protein

Northern unbleached all-purpose (King Arthur): 11.7% protein

Bread Flour: 11.5 to 12.5% protein

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This recipe and excerpt as well as helpful tips on making/baking biscuits can be found here.

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits from Pinch My Salt via Two Peas and Their Pod

• 1 1/4 C. cake flour
• 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 C. butter, cut into small chunks
• 3/4 C. buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2. Prepare ingredients: Cut butter into small chunks, place in a bowl and return to fridge. Measure out buttermilk and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and biscuit cutter. Have biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy.

3. Mix dough: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until very well blended. Add butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together in a ball.

4. Knead dough and cut biscuits: Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, 3/4 - 1 inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Form the dough scraps into an extra biscuit-like shape instead of re-rolling the dough. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.

5. Bake biscuits: place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 500 degree oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

Another interesting thing about these biscuits is that they're baked together with their edges touching, not apart. I've never made biscuits like this before, but it resulted in a light as air biscuits with soft sides.

Look at that lovely puddle.