One little word, but it stands for so much. Home, comfort, deliciousness, fluffy, happiness... Those are just a few words that come to mind. Biscuits are are a simple combination of flour, water, butter, and baking soda. Why then are there so few really good ones out there? Hubby and I are always in the mood for a good biscuit, so I've been trying some out at home. This is a winner. It has buttermilk plus an egg and it's perfectly fluffy but still able to hold up to a big serving of gravy. Here's what you'll need:
- 3 C flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 TBL sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 stick butter
- 3/4 C buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 C water
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut the stick of butter into cubes then work it into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter. The mixture should still have pea sized pieces of butter in it when it's combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and the egg and whisk them together. Add to the dry mixture, and mix together until it just starts to get moist. Now, slowly add the water a little at a time until the dough forms. You may not need all the water. As soon as the dough comes together, stop mixing and turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper. You should still be able to see pieces of butter.
Pat the dough into a disc. You can make the biscuits anywhere from 1/2' to 3" thick depending on your preference. Using a 2" biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on a cookie sheet with the sides touching. Bake until brown on top. If the biscuits are thin, that should take about 15 minutes. If they are thick, it can take up to an hour.
We like them hot out of the oven with sausage gravy. If there are any left over, they are great toasted with butter and topped with honey.
Enjoy!
Lynn
