Buttermilk Breakfast Biscuits

As this is my second biscuit recipe out of only about 20 recipes on this blog, there is clearly a special place in my foodie heart for biscuits. There is just something so satisfying about the dry, buttery flakiness of biscuits and scones. And the jam, let's not forget about that sweet, sticky pile of bliss.

I usually feel like a dying fish flopping out of water when I try to make pastry dough. Or Chemistry Dog. I literally have no idea what I'm doing. But if you have a food processor, or actually know what you are doing, you will save yourself a huge cleanup and an extra shower. I had a tougher time than usual with this one (and by tough time I mean I had dough sticking to every inch of me and my kitchen counter). But although the dough turned out to be way too wet and sticky, after dousing it in flour and folding it in a few times, things managed to get back under control. And, even better, the biscuits were still delicious! So don't worry, even if you have no clue what you are doing, just follow these instructions and you too can fool everyone into thinking you are a pastry goddess. 

 Recipe Adapted from {http://www.omnivorousfox.com/2012/12/flaky-buttermilk-biscuits.html}


 Ingredients:
1 and a scant quarter cup all-purpose flour 1/2 c cake flour
1 tbsp sugar 1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 
3/4 tsp salt 
1 stick cold butter (make sure the butter is very cold!)
3/4 c buttermilk

(If you have a food processor, see the link above for instructions to make the dough in your food processor)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
 
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Cut the butter it into very small pieces and combine into the flour mixture with your fingertips until you have large course crumbs. Pour in the buttermilk and mix with a spatula until the dough forms (I recommend waiting to pour the last bit of the milk from the measuring cup to see if your dough needs it)

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and pat into a rectangle, about 3/4 in thick. Fold in thirds like a letter and pat down into a rectangle again. Repeat two more times, adding more flour to the surface each time to keep it from getting too sticky. 

Cut into 6 rectangles or use the mouth of a glass to cut the dough into circles. Brush the tops with an egg/milk mixture if desired and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 6-7 Biscuits

Midnight Biscuits

Sometimes you have a long and stressful week and you just need biscuits. If this is your situation, you need these incredibly soft, garlicky, flaky, golden, crispy and delicious biscuits. While I'm usually a little intimidated by trying to make pastries and flaky doughs that rise in gorgeous layers of buttery deliciousness, these are incredibly easy and yield fantastic results. If you can do laundry you can make these; the trick is all in the folding and stacking!

[Recipe Adapted from http://singaporeshiok.blogspot.sg/2012/09/stacked-garlic-biscuits.html#.UF_407LiZ9s&disp=181389]

You will need:

3 c flour

2 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp baking soda

     OR substitute 3 tsp baking powder instead of both

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

     OR substitute about 1.25 tsp salt and .25 tsp garlic powder

1 stick (1/2 c) cold firm butter

1 c cold milk (do not use buttermilk if using the cream of tartar)  

Preheat oven to 460 F and grease your baking tray
 
Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda (or just the baking powder), sugar and garlic salt.
Cut in butter with a pastry blender/knives/finger tips until you forms large, course crumbs

Pour in milk and stir mixture together with a spatula only until the flour is moistened and mixture starts to come together - don't over-mix and don't knead the dough!

Turn the rough dough out onto a lightly floured board or work top and flatten slightly. Fold mixture into thirds and pat into a thick rectangle. Cut across into two squares and stack one on the other.

Pat down and out into a 1 in thick rectangle then cut into 12 squares with a sharp knife. Transfer biscuits to tray, putting them close together, and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 410 F and bake another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Enjoy your midnight biscuits! (and then enjoy them again for breakfast)

Makes 12 biscuits