Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits

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biscuits, bread, butter, buttermilk, Cook's Illustrated

I love biscuits and scones. There’s something about butter and flour being mixed into a fluffy, tender baked good that is just divine. Now I’ve made other biscuits before (including pumpkin of course!), and those were awesome, too, but I just can’t help but try new recipes. These are relatively simple as far as biscuits go, though being a Cook’s Illustrated recipe they do have some additional steps. They’re essentially drop biscuits, and they kind of bake up like pull-apart rolls.The results are nothing short of biscuit perfection. They’re light and delicious and were the perfect choice to bake up while my weeknight bolognese cooked on the stove. If you’re like me, constantly looking for new biscuit (or any bread) recipes, give this a try. You won’t be disappointed!One Year Ago: Pizza Dough and Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
Yield: 12 biscuits

Dough
2 cups (10-ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1½ cups low-fat buttermilk

For Shaping and Finishing
1 cup (5-ounces) all-purpose flour, distributed on a rimmed baking sheet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan and the inside and outside of a ¼ cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the dough: In a food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda; pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, dispersing evenly over the dry ingredients, then pulse 8 to 10 times, or until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Pour the flour-butter mixture into a large bowl; add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula just until everything is incorporated. The dough will be wet, sticky, and somewhat lumpy.

To form the biscuits: Use the prepared ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop level ¼ cup mounds of dough, then drop them into the flour on the baking sheet. Continue until all the dough has been scooped (there should be 12 mounds). Use some of the flour from the baking sheet to dust the top of each mound. Flour your hands, then, one at a time, pick up each piece of dough and gently shape it into a rough ball, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shake off the excess flour and place in the prepared cake pan. Repeat with the remaining mounds of dough, fitting 9 biscuits around the outer edge of the pan and 3 in the middle.

Gently brush the top of each biscuit with the melted butter. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and continue baking for another 13 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits are deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the biscuits cool for 2 minutes, then invert them onto a clean kitchen towel. Flip the biscuits over and break them apart. Allow to cool 5 minutes longer before serving. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and reheat at 475 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

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Cream Cheese Biscuits

Tags

Biscuit, bread, butter, cream cheese

A few months ago, my mom and I went to visit her uncle up in Oregon. While we were up there, he mentioned that we check out his favorite breakfast places. His selling point for me were their biscuits. Whenever he goes, he gets a biscuit and eats half himself and brings the other half home for his greyhounds. They are the biggest biscuits I’ve ever seen, and they taste amazing! The biscuits I made are more normal sized. Hehe.I love biscuits. Even KFC biscuits (you must admit, they’re pretty awesome)! So I figured I had to try these biscuits, especially since I love things with cream cheese. Much to my husband’s dismay. 🙂 But these things are delish! Light and flaky, moist and delicious. They looked beautiful when they were cut up and unbaked…And then they kind of went crazy! They puffed up beautifully, but they sort of went everywhere. They all seemed to lean away from the center of the oven for some reason. But the taste is awesome, so it’s all good. The weird poofing can be worked on. 🙂 But seriously, best biscuits… you gotta try them!!

Cream Cheese Biscuits
Note: Unbaked biscuits can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 day.

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces and frozen at least 30 minutes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and frozen at least 30 minutes
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until combined. Add cream cheese and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until combined (dough may appear slightly dry).

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly until dough comes together. Pat dough into an 8 by 6-inch rectangle, about ¾-inch thick. Cut into twelve 2-inch squares or use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter and cut into circles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Source: Cook’s Country