Biscuit modifications:
Lately the Husband and I have been experimenting with biscuits. We've had pretty good, delicious results so far (as our scale can probably tell you) but we are still on the search for our perfect biscuit.
So, serious eaters-- I need to know--what is your #1 rule for making a delicious biscuit?
and furthermore, what is everyone's opinion of (gasp) substituting olive oil as the main fat ingredient?
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8 Comments:
Tips - "rubbing" the butter into the flour is a must. Do NOT overwork the dough. Some use shortening but I never touch the stuff - I use very cold butter. I don't like the taste of shortening and it smells like chemicals to me. Bake biscuits very hot. I like when they touch on the sides, it makes for a more tender biscuit and they have nowhere to go but UP.
I do not believe olive oil is a suitable fat replacement for 100% of the fat but I'd be interested to see how a formula using 25% olive oil as the fat.
I like to use shreded cheddar in my biscuits and I also occasionally use leftover sweet potatoes or butternut squash (add some pumpkin pie spice). My daughter used to love those toasted for breakfast with honey on them.
Good luck!
therealchiffonade at 5:15PM on 09/07/09
I sometimes sub some amaranth flour for wheat flour in my biscuits (no more than one fourth). No gluten, and it makes a very tender crumb, and gives a yellow color to the biscuits which is very pleasing.
Otherwise I cut in the butter first and then rub it in with cold hands, and I wouldn't think of using shortening. Yeah, I think it would be interesting to sub a little olive oil for some of the butter, but my guess is if you use too high a proportion they won't be as flaky. You're depending on the steam from heating the watery butter to help raise them into layers.
lemonfair at 5:26PM on 09/07/09
The best biscuits I've ever made were with a food processor. I just zipped the ingredients, patted it out on my cutting board, cut and baked. I truly believe that the less you work the dough the better.
I've only used cold butter. I would think that a liquid fat would make a different dough, especially since the bits of butter melt in the oven and make the biscuits extra yummy. As for variations, I agree about adding cheese - really yummy on it's own or with poached eggs. I also like adding lots of black pepper to the biscuits.
gingercookiewithlime at 5:32PM on 09/07/09
Scones or biscuits...cold butter cut into the flour and heavy cream or full fat butter milk!
juliette527 at 6:35PM on 09/07/09
After 35 years, I figured out the secret to biscuits: buttermilk, food processor and White Lilly Flour:
Redemption Biscuits
Good luck!
NuJoi at 11:04PM on 09/07/09
One major factor in biscuit making is to use cold shortening, cut it in with a pastry blender of food processor until the shortening is the size of small peas, adding the milk, buttermilk or cream and not over stirring the mixture; just until almost al the flour has disappeared. Knead only the number of times a recipe suggests. Don't reroll the scraps after you have cut the first biscuits, merely move the scraps together enough to stick to each other and cut until all dough is used. Sometimes I measure my shortening and put it on a small plate and set it in the freezer for 15 minutes before making the dough.
Have the oven preheated to the proper high temperature, and for really good biscuits, I bake mine on a cast iron griddle in the oven.
I have experimented with using butter, lard and Crisco in my biscuits, personally I thing they are better with Crisco, lard and butter in that order. I like a crispy crunch to my biscuit crust. Butter doesn't do that.
We don't get White Lily flour in this area, I wish we did. Another flour company spokesperson even admitted White Lily is best for biscuits.
lurah at 1:05AM on 09/08/09
My grandmother's southern-style biscuits call for half lard half butter, mixed in cold, then you toss the whole dough in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, cut rounds into that and bake. the scraps were just as good at the rest, and gave us something to snack on in the kitchen! she also swore by full-fat buttermilk and all the ingredients as cold as possible, even the flour.
rabbiswife at 8:10AM on 09/08/09
Cold butter, and in my experience, whey. I only make biscuits when I have whey, which only happens when I drain my yogurt.
Indeed, whey is the way to go in baking!
Otherwise, buttermilk.
Carioca at 7:59PM on 09/08/09