(Buttermilk gives a slight tang to these light and flaky biscuits.
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (16 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon salt (0.25 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (0.33 ounces)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (0.08 ounces)
- 1-1/2 cups butter, unsalted, cold (12 ounces)
- 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, cold (12 ounces)
Preparation:
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together into a mixing bowl.
Use a knife or pasty cutter to chop the butter into pieces about the diameter of a quarter. Toss them into the flour and mix with your hands, lightly rubbing the flour and butter into each other between your fingers (DO NOT let the fingertips rub against each other or the friction will melt the butter). Work the dough until the butter pieces are down to the diameter of a dime and are covered by the flour mixture.
Stir the buttermilk into the flour mixture just until the ingredients are gathered and form a dough ball.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a surface with flour, and roll the dough in it. Dust the counter again and roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Peel the dough up from the counter and fold it, like a letter, into thirds. Give it 1/4 turn. Flour the counter and the top of the dough and roll it out again to 3/4-inch thick. Peel up again and again fold into thirds.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, roll it out again to 3/4-inch thick, fold in thirds one more time, and roll out again, at 3/4-inch thick.
Cut the dough into 2 x 2 x 2-inch triangular pieces or use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. Place the cut biscuits on the parchment paper, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk or melted butter. Place them in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until LIGHTLY browned and golden all around. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve while still warm.
Yield: 24 biscuits
Source: Crust & Crumb : Master Formulas for Serious Bakers by Peter Reinhart (Ten Speed Press)
Reprinted with permission.
Use a knife or pasty cutter to chop the butter into pieces about the diameter of a quarter. Toss them into the flour and mix with your hands, lightly rubbing the flour and butter into each other between your fingers (DO NOT let the fingertips rub against each other or the friction will melt the butter). Work the dough until the butter pieces are down to the diameter of a dime and are covered by the flour mixture.
Stir the buttermilk into the flour mixture just until the ingredients are gathered and form a dough ball.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Lightly flour a surface with flour, and roll the dough in it. Dust the counter again and roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Peel the dough up from the counter and fold it, like a letter, into thirds. Give it 1/4 turn. Flour the counter and the top of the dough and roll it out again to 3/4-inch thick. Peel up again and again fold into thirds.
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, roll it out again to 3/4-inch thick, fold in thirds one more time, and roll out again, at 3/4-inch thick.
Cut the dough into 2 x 2 x 2-inch triangular pieces or use a cookie or biscuit cutter to cut into rounds. Place the cut biscuits on the parchment paper, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk or melted butter. Place them in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until LIGHTLY browned and golden all around. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve while still warm.
Yield: 24 biscuits
Source: Crust & Crumb : Master Formulas for Serious Bakers by Peter Reinhart (Ten Speed Press)
Reprinted with permission.
