What are Biscuits?

[Ishbel]

I always do the same as you, Lulu. When friends are coming for afternoon tea or just a cuppa, I can make them just half an hour before and keep them warm in a teacloth until we're ready to eat them!

 

[kimbaby]

my biscuits are a combo of flour, crisco,milk.. rolled out and baked and topped with butter.. yummy

 

[philso]

most likely, about every third person on this thread (or their mom) makes the "best" biscuit in the world! they are fast, easy & delicious.
the word "biscuit" actually means "twice cooked", as for example, biscotti. i'd imagine that our american usage might be related to the old time mariner's "ship's biscuit" or hard tack; simple quick bread which was then dried after baking so they wouldn't spoil (too quickly, anyway).

rolled out and baked atop a large pile of fruit (with a little sugar, flour & seasoning), you've got a fruit cobbler, a quick & delicious breakfast or dessert.

spirit wolf - here's a recent thread in which many expressed their baking tips

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f23/biscuits-not-rising-28697.html#post351023

 

[karadekoolaid]

I'm increasingly concerned that we will not be able to understand each other within a 100 years!
In the UK, an English Muffin is more difficult to find than an honest politician; yet they're on every menu in the US.
If you ask for a glass of squash in the UK, you'll get a glass of Fruit (usually orange) Concentrate and water. No-one in the US would contemplate drinking a glass of marrow/pumpkin juice...
A biscuit in England is a cookie. A biscuit in the US is, well, something else.
Gravy in the UK is a dark brown liquid made by thickening the meat juices from the roast, maybe adding some extra liquid - served in a Gravy Boat to accomany roast meat.
Gravy in the US is a sauce served with what-ever you're cooking ( Joke! Joke!!)
Chips in the UK are thick, 1/2" slices of potato, deep-fried, crispy outside, soft inside. French Fries in the Uk only exist in McDs . However, Chips in the US are thin slices of potato, or maybe tacos, or tortillas, usually found in a bag. Confuse me more, you may say!! Chips in the UK are called crisps...
I could go on... language is a wonderful thing!!

 

[Aria]

SpiritWolf...Kitchenelf provided the recipes....Aurora a beautiful photo of our
Biscuits. You should be ready to bake. Enjoy.

 

[boufa06]

Clive, your post is very informative indeed and no less amusing!

 

[karadekoolaid]

Clive, your post is very informative indeed and no less amusing!

Reminds me of a conversation I once had with an (American ) boss.
I had a letter of credit ( or something like that) which had to be paid by a certain date - it was a lot of money. So I said to my boss:
" Hey, Doug - we've got to make sure we've got cash flow for this."

" When's it due?", he replied - pronounced " DO!"

" Do what?", said I, confused...

" When's the thing DUE?", he replicated, a little annoyed ( "DO!")
" DO WHAT??", retorted yours faithfully.... (Penny drops...)
"OOOOOOOOOOohhhhh, you mean, when's it DUE?" (pronounced "JEW" in English)

" JEW, no - what the heck has religion got to do with this??!!"

When we realised what the confusion was about, there was a fifteen minute laugh break!!!!

 

[Half Baked]

My mother had a biscuit cutter (just like a round cookie cutter). She had to keep kneading the dough to get a few more biscuits cut out of it.

I've found the best method for me. Roll the biscuit dough out into a rectangle. Use my sharpest knife and cut them into squares, then put them on the baking sheet. The sharper the cutter, the taller your biscuits.

90% of the time we eat them plain but after the dough is mixed, sometimes I stir in shredded cheese and/or cooked bacon or sausage. That makes for a great snack.

 

[Aria]

Half Baked...cut into squares..YES. Other times we make Drop Biscuits
Increase milk to 1 cup instead of 3/4 cup in our recipe. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet (If desired, first drop dough into sesame seed; coat all sides.)

 

[stargazer021]

Oh! my Mom made the BEST[ biscuits in the whole world! and whenever we had them for dinner , Dad would request the strawberry jam, and we would polish off any remaining for dessert!

I'll post the recipe tonight, if anyone wants it...

ChefJune,
I would love to have your recipe.
Thanks,
Karen

 

[stargazer021]

When I cut out biscuits I roll out the dough and then take any glass and turn it upside down, dip the end of the glass in flour and cut out the biscuit. The flour helps the biscuit slide right out of the glass and onto the cookie sheet.

 

[XeniA]

My mother had a biscuit cutter (just like a round cookie cutter). She had to keep kneading the dough to get a few more biscuits cut out of it.

I've found the best method for me. Roll the biscuit dough out into a rectangle. Use my sharpest knife and cut them into squares, then put them on the baking sheet...

SQUARE biscuits?! Why that's just not ... RIGHT!

Roll out the dough once. Cut with your ROUND cutter of choice (drinking glass, fluted cutter, whatever) trying to fit the circles together the very best you can.

Pick up all the in-between-bits and lay those on the pan and bake with the other perfect biscuits. Use them as cook's snacks and/or feeding hungry little children who are having a hard time waiting for dinner ...

 

[philso]

using a glass crimps the edge of the biscuits and they don't rise quite as much.

 

[StirBlue]

A few years ago (like 8 yrs), I went to work in a restaurant as GL (general labor). I was assigned to make biscuits (rolled white flour and cinnamon raisin). I had never turned out a decent biscuit in my life and I was a bit nervous.
Of course, they had a big work area, flour table and all. So I guess a proper work area is very important. They used a standard biscuit recipe, (simple). What I learned to become important is the amount of baking time. Biscuits were never intended to be baked until "golden brown". Biscuits are done when they are lightly browned.
When they are lightly browned, you can pull them apart. They need to be cut big and fluffy because they don't rise much. What you put into the oven is pretty much what you are going to take out.
Drop biscuits tend to be more crunchy and sometimes I like eating them as long as they are small.
Those cinnamon raisin biscuits were doughy and delicious, rich and fulfilling and ordered by a lot of people who were on their way to an early morning sports event or short road trip, and sometimes just shoppers looking for a lift.

 

[joanne81]

I always thought biscuits in America meant scone, due to the 'tea and biscuits' phrase is so often linked to English people by Americans and to me it's always been 'tea and scones.'

In New Zealand biscuits are usually chocolate covered cookies, much more of a dessert. While cookies are dry and crumbly like chocolate chip or shortbread.

 

[StirBlue]

We have chocolate donuts.