Buttermilk Biscuits

 

 

 

    It is strawberry time, so that mean strawberry shortcakes. I like to make buttermilk biscuits for this. I make the dough ahead of time. I cut them, then set them on cookies sheets and freeze the. Then I transfer them to in zip-lock baggies. I pull them out and bake them off frozen. It only takes a few minutes more. This is a great idea because I only use butter in my biscuits and to get that flakyness you want your butter cold and hard when you bake it.

  

    My other trick is to keep the butter cut in larger sizes (about a small pea). I cut the butter into my flour with a food-processor carefully . Then add the liquid ingredients in a bowl by hand.

  

    The last trick is the buttermilk I use. I know sadly not all of you will be able to get Bulgarian buttermilk. But if your store does carry it I highly recommend it. I know it is a bit more and it is totally worth it. It is so much richer and flavorful !! It make a huge difference in my baking. I like to use buttermilk in my baked items because it helps it to have a more tender crumb.

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

Buttermilk Biscuits

 

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 TBL milk or cream for brushing biscuits

 

 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. Blend in butter till it is the size of small peas. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and gently fold over, press down in an even square till 1 inch thick. Do this  6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, cut, flouring knife between cuts. Transfer biscuitsto a greased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart. Set in fridge one hour for butter to firm or freeze. Brush tops with milk or cream. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Makes 6 biscuits

Comments

[cindy]

Maybe if I try your tips my buttermilk biscuits would actually work! :)

[Nan]

I don't know if you will see this comment on an old post, but I wanted to say I've recently found an excellent, fairly local, buttermilk in the stores and discovered the joys of baking with it. I just posted a recipe for biscuits, but I think I'll try yours today! And if I post it, I'll give credit to you, with a link. Yours is a little different and I always love to try new recipes. Here is mine, from the movie, Crazy Heart.

http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/bad-blakes-biscuits.html

[Michele]

Clarice,
I love this recipe and I can't wait to try it! :)

[Kelli]

Mmmmm...looks delicious!! I never thought about freezing the shortbread, what a great idea!!
The flower is a very sweet touch.
Kelli

[kali]

What a delightful blog you have. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment over at mine, I appreciate it.
I look forward to visiting you when I can :)

[Mrs.Staggs]

It does look wonderful! Thanks for the tips, especially the one for freezing the biscuits. What a smart idea that is!

[Joanne]

Hi Clarice,
I love your Besse Pease artwork posted, as well as your scrumptious picture and recipe which sounds so british and so yummy!

[littlejennywren]

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I can only dream of strawberries at the moment although one of my plants has some fruit on it from summer but they grew too late to ripen. I had a quick look through your archives and was surprised to see that the fabric you used in your laundry room is the same fabric I used to make my favourite apron.

[Debbie]

Oh, Clarice, that strawberry shortcake looks scrumptious! We have been known to eat strawberry shortcake for dinner here during strawberry season. Thanks for the tip about freezing them, I will have to try that.
Debbie

[Gina]

That picture looks wonderfully delicious!!!
And I do agree buttermilk makes a big difference in flavor, gives it that southern cookin' taste. And you can't beat that.

[Linda]

Hmmm, I'm coming over. No, I'll be good. I'll make my own with whole wheat and no sugar. Mom

[Tina]

Yum! It looks delicious, Clarice! The violet is such a lovely flourish. So, are you saving this beautiful food photography for that cookbook we're all waiting for you to publish??? ;-)

[Mary]

Clarice, just wanted you to know my screen saver file is beginning to have some beautiful images in it thanks to the wonderful prints you post. Sunny and HOT here today and I'm off to our knitting/stitching group this morning.