Diagnose my biscuits please...

[sunnysmile]

I usually have door stops for biscuits. I've worked on it and tonight I ended up with very light, soft biscuits. I CAREFULLY spooned flour into the cup and leveled it off with a knife. Usually I just scoop and shake to even it out, and I think I was getting too much flour in the recipe. The problem is that they just don't seem to rise. I cut them an inch thick, thinking they would rise, but they only slightly rose. Still delicious, just short. My recipe:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1T. sugar
2/3 c. Crisco
2 cups buttermilk

I think my technique was good, but maybe my ingredients are off. It didn't occur to me at the time, but I think maybe the recipe should have had baking soda in it. Any thoughts? I'm getting close to a great biscuit...LOL

Forgot to say, I didn't have enough buttermilk, so I used half buttermilk and half regular milk. Also, I didn't twist when cutting them. Brushed the tops with cream before baking. Recipe called for baking at 450 for 8-10 minutes. I ended up baking them for 25. They just wouldn't get done, and they barely had a tinge of brown to them.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Dwarfism...LOL!

How do they taste? And what altitude are you?

 

[sunnysmile]

They taste just fine. No problem there. I am at 5000 ft. altitude. The texture came out perfect in my opinion. I refrained from working them at all. Dumped the dough on a floured counter and just patted it out with my hands.

 

[Selkie]

Being single, I make only four biscuits at a time, but you can easily double the amounts and this recipe will still work. This is my TNT recipe I use at least once per week.

Southern Biscuits

1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tbl. Very Cold Cubed Lard or Butter (Lard is better!)
1/2 cup Buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of whole milk mixed with 1 tbl. of white vinegar and let set for 5 minutes before using.)
1 Tbl. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. baking Powder
2 Pinches (1/8 tsp.) of Baking Soda
Flour for kneading


1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.) Into a food processor add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and lard or butter. Pulse a few times until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3.) Empty food processor mixture into a mixing bowl. Blend in buttermilk with a spatula just until the dough comes together. The dough will be sticky. Let it set for 5-10 minutes to hydrate all of the flour.

4.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently by folding the dough 6 to 8 times. (DO NOT overwork the dough!)

5.) Using your hand, press the dough until it's about 2 inches thick.

6.) Cut out biscuits with a 2-1/2 or 3 -inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Do not twist the cutter. (Twisting the cutter will cause the biscuits not to rise straight up).

7.) Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.

8.) Brush the tops with milk.

9.) Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Makes four (4) biscuits.

 

[sunnysmile]

Hmmm, my shortening was room temp, but I wouldn't think that would affect rising. I wonder.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Your biscuits have no fat, not enough baking powder and no baking soda. For the amount of flour you have, I suggest 6 tablespoons cold butter, 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

You can be as rough and tough with the ingredients as you like, until you add the liquid, so don't be afraid to be aggressive with getting the butter or lard rubbed into the flour. Once you start adding the liquid, then you need to process them as little as possible.

 

[sunnysmile]

I am sorry, I corrected my original post. There was 2/3 cup crisco in the recipe. I used my kitchen aide to cut in the shortening, then just pulsed it when I added the milk. It was very sticky, but I didn't add more flour except to roll it out. Texture was great. I just want TALL biscuits!! I've tested my baking powder, and it bubbles in water...I just don't know how much it should bubble. It wasn't "violent" bubbling.

I had enough baking powder according to your suggestion, but you are right, the recipe needs baking soda. This is a recipe from allrecipes.com

 

[Uncle Bob]

I would adjust your recipe as follows



2 cups flour ..................... 2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 T. baking powder....... 1 T. Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt.................. 1 t. Salt
1T. sugar...........................1 T. Sugar
2/3 c. Crisco......................1/2 Cup of Crisco Or Butter
2 cups buttermilk...............1 Cup Buttermilk..Or Milk...or Combination
.......................................1/4 t Soda

2 Cups of Buttermilk in 2 cups of flour seems excessive?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I am sorry, I corrected my original post. There was 2/3 cup crisco in the recipe. I used my kitchen aide to cut in the shortening, then just pulsed it when I added the milk. It was very sticky, but I didn't add more flour except to roll it out. Texture was great. I just want TALL biscuits!! I've tested my baking powder, and it bubbles in water...I just don't know how much it should bubble. It wasn't "violent" bubbling.

I had enough baking powder according to your suggestion, but you are right, the recipe needs baking soda. This is a recipe from allrecipes.com

Sorry, I read teaspoon...not tablespoon...memo: make eye appointment!

Welcome to DC! I hope you enjoy it here.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I make large, cats head, biscuits and the cooking time listed in the average recipe is not enough for them. I bake them at 450 for the the 10 to 12 minutes listed and then turn the oven down to 350 and give them another 10 to 15 minutes to finish baking.

You might also want to try the old Angel Biscuit recipes that use yeast, baking powder and baking soda. They will give you a higher rise.

I would also do anything that msmofet might add because she makes the prettiest biscuits I have ever seen in a home kitchen.

 

[MoodyBlueFoodie]

I think using 1/2 regular milk might not have given you the chemical reaction (gas) you need for the rising to take place properly. If so you could use some vinegar or lemon next time to curdle your reg milk. 1 tbs to 1 cup of milk should do it.

 

[taxlady]

I think using 1/2 regular milk might not have given you the chemical reaction (gas) you need for the rising to take place properly. If so you could use some vinegar or lemon next time to curdle your reg milk. 1 tbs to 1 cup of milk should do it.

This would be true if the baking soda hadn't been left out of the recipe.

I put 1 tablespoon in a cup measure and then add milk to make one cup. That way I have the exact amount of liquid.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

The best biscuits I ever made were from a Paula Dean recipe called Cream Biscuits. They only have 3 ingredients: 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream. Sometimes I substitute plain yogurt for the whipping cream, which gives them a kind of sourdough taste.

 

[Saphellae]

THe best biscuits I have ever made were from a wedding book

makes enough for 12 people (alot - but you can freeze them uncooked too)

4c flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 ounces unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cream or milk

for egg wash on top before baking:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk

The above is just a basic biscuit recipe. The book's recipe calls for chopped fresh sage, and to serve with honey butter

 

[bakechef]

My biscuits never rose much until I kneaded the dough 6 or 8 turns. I always thought that you shouldn't work the dough at all. Kneading them slightly activates gluten and gives the structure strength to rise.

Not working them will give you very tender biscuits but they won't rise much. Even short tender biscuits are good, but I like them to look pretty too!

 

[bakechef]

The best biscuits I ever made were from a Paula Dean recipe called Cream Biscuits. They only have 3 ingredients: 2 cups self-rising flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream. Sometimes I substitute plain yogurt for the whipping cream, which gives them a kind of sourdough taste.

I agree, cream biscuits are the best that I have made and so darned simple. I have never made a sub for the cream, fearing that the loss of fat would ruin them, now you have me thinking!

 

[Kayelle]

Being single, I make only four biscuits at a time, but you can easily double the amounts and this recipe will still work. This is my TNT recipe I use at least once per week.

Southern Biscuits

1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tbl. Very Cold Cubed Lard or Butter (Lard is better!)
1/2 cup Buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of whole milk mixed with 1 tbl. of white vinegar and let set for 5 minutes before using.)
1 Tbl. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. baking Powder
2 Pinches (1/8 tsp.) of Baking Soda
Flour for kneading


1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.) Into a food processor add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and lard or butter. Pulse a few times until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3.) Empty food processor mixture into a mixing bowl. Blend in buttermilk with a spatula just until the dough comes together. The dough will be sticky. Let it set for 5-10 minutes to hydrate all of the flour.

4.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently by folding the dough 6 to 8 times. (DO NOT overwork the dough!)

5.) Using your hand, press the dough until it's about 2 inches thick.

6.) Cut out biscuits with a 2-1/2 or 3 -inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Do not twist the cutter. (Twisting the cutter will cause the biscuits not to rise straight up).

7.) Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.

8.) Brush the tops with milk.

9.) Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Makes four (4) biscuits.

Thanks for this, Selkie!! I haven't made biscuits in years because all recipe's make too many, and I'm so inept at baking the thought of cutting down a recipe would doom me to certain failure.

Your recipe is all copied and ready to roll........umm pat. Crossing fingers for some luck. I'll be sure to buy some lard.

 

[taxlady]

Thanks for this, Selkie!! I haven't made biscuits in years because all recipe's make too many, and I'm so inept at baking the thought of cutting down a recipe would doom me to certain failure.

Your recipe is all copied and ready to roll........umm pat. Crossing fingers for some luck. I'll be sure to buy some lard.

You don't even need to use a biscuit cutter. You can cut rectangles or squares. There should be less leftover dough than with round biscuits. Just remember to push the knife straight down through the dough, like Selkie wrote about the cutter.

 

[msmofet]

You don't even need to use a biscuit cutter. You can cut rectangles or squares. There should be less leftover dough than with round biscuits. Just remember to push the knife straight down through the dough, like Selkie wrote about the cutter.

Thats what I do. I use a bench scrapper to cut straight down then without lifting I wiggle side to side gently to seperate the biscuits.

 

[sunnysmile]

My biscuits never rose much until I kneaded the dough 6 or 8 turns. I always thought that you shouldn't work the dough at all. Kneading them slightly activates gluten and gives the structure strength to rise.

Not working them will give you very tender biscuits but they won't rise much. Even short tender biscuits are good, but I like them to look pretty too!

Thanks for this advice! I guess I went too far the other direction when trying not to overwork them. I didn't knead at all. Just dumped the dough and patted out to an inch thick.

Does anyone know how bubbly baking powder should be when you test it?