Buttermilk biscuits by request

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007bond-jb

Master Chef
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
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Fan-Damm-Tastic Buttermilk Biscuits

1st a baking 101 primer....In order to be consitant when baking breads cakes ect...
you must 1st have precision in measuring the ingrediants, so let me intoduce the term
"bakers percentages" When making large batches of dough/cake mix ect... the recipes
are measured by weight on a digital scale this way the baker knows that if a recipe calls for 50%
flour & 50% water he accurately can mix up any quanity using the scale.
Measuring by cups is very inacurate for dry ingrediants, you can pack 25% more flour by weight into
a cup by tapping it on a countertop. Got it? Good,
Next baking 101.2

Flour has a shelf life HELLO It don't go bad but it looses moisture from its milling date on,
(It will not weigh the same) so If your flour is older than say 6 months THROW IT AWAY!

Their are different protein levels flours on the market, Higher protein flours like King Auther
Sir Lancelot brand are better suited for pizza doughs & select types of bread & rolls,
Stay away from high protein flour for biscuits, that is if you want em light & fluffy.

I will show you how to get by using a measuring cup for this recipe.

One last tip & a very important one, The less you handle/worry the dough after the wet ingrediants are added the lighter & fluffyer they will be

Ok on with the recipe:

2 cups self rising flour (Pillsbury's is fine)
1/4 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 400 deg place an spare backing sheet on the lower rack (this will prevent the biscuits from burning on the bottom from the elements radiant heat)
SIFT the flour into a 2 cup measuring device that is on the work area DO NOT PACK SHAKE OR FONDLE
if you do this at eye level you can get the flour dead on the 2 cup mark by moving the sifter around.
add flour to a mixing bowel and cut in the PACKED room temp shortening with a fork or a pastry blender untill the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gently fold in the milk folding no more than 6 times, the dough will appear a little unmixed its ok.
remove from bowel onto floured work surface & gently shape by hand to 1/2 -3/4 in thick , or spoon directly from
mixing bowel onto a backing sheet this is called drop biscuits (about a heaping tbsp)
othewise cut dough with a 2 in cutter, place on a nonstick baking sheet Bake 11 to 13 min. or untill light brown
Optional: Brush the top of the biscuits with melted butter before baking (this is what I do)
 
Your sure right about the high protein flour. I coundn't figure out why my tried and true baking powder biscuits came out like hockey pucks a couple of times. It turned out to be the high protein flour! I've heard it's more of a problem with flour in the northeast. "Cake flour" is lower protein.
 
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