Baking Class: Basic Buttermilk Biscuits

I have posted a biscuit recipe before but was never fully satisfied with it.  Although it made flaky biscuits, they were missing that quintessential biscuit texture and flavor but I did not know why.  And then I was recently looking for recipes to make them with my baking companion and I discovered that the recipe I had been using had eggs in it and many that I was seeing online did not.  So I tried it without the eggs and boom - there was that beautiful biscuit flavor I had been missing for so long.

These biscuits are easy to make and delicious.  I also learned a new trick for making them even flakier than I was getting with the folding method.  Instead of being folded they get cut into three pieces, stacked, rolled or patted, and then cut and stacked again two more times before being cut into biscuits.

If you are looking for a simple, classic biscuit recipe then look no further - this is the one!

Home Cookin v9.76 Chapter: Breads and Muffins
BASIC BUTTERMILK BISCUITS 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup cold buttermilk

Cut the butter into 32 equal pieces and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the cubed cold butter and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the butter is the size of small peas.

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the cold buttermilk. Gently stir to combine until everything just comes together.  You do not want to overwork the dough or it will get tough.

Place the dough onto a well-floured surface and work it gently into a ball. Pat or roll it out into a rectangle approximately 1/2-inch high. With a sharp knife, cut the rectangle into thirds crosswise and stack the three layers. Pat it out into another 1/2-inch rectangle.  Repeat this process twice more.

Cut out the biscuits with a 2-inch or 3-inch biscuit cutter, making sure to push straight down without twisting to ensure that they will rise.  Place the cut biscuits on a rimmed baking sheet so that they are touching each other.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned, turning the tray in the oven about halfway through.  Start checking after about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

adapted from recipe found at https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/easy-buttermilk-biscuits/

exported from Home Cookin v9.76 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)