Blissful Biscuits and Other Heavenly Tastes

Let’s talk about biscuits and scones - biscuits so hot that you can grab one but not hold it longer than it takes to move from tray to plate. The top is a perfect circle, burnished gold, oven-crisp. The bottom is a darker disk, thicker from contact with the baking sheet. And the columnar side is snow white, as tender as sifted flour. Give a gentle tug, and it pulls apart like a warm cloud. Now quickly grab pats of butter, ease them on, ever so gently, and watch the cleaved biscuits drink in the fast-melting emulsion. Honey? Jam? Gravy? Yes, yes, and yes. Everything is good on biscuits.

Traditional Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (check the date on the bottom of the can)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled Crisco
3/4 to 1 cup whole milk, as needed

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry cutter or rub with your fingertips until the mixture is mealy. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a fork, just till the dough holds together and is still sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, knead about 8 times, pat out 1/2 inch thick, and cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Pat the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange rounds on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake in the upper third of the oven till golden brown, about 15 minutes. Makes about 14.

Food Processor Beaten Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled lard (yes, lard)
1/2 cup half-and-half

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard and rub it in with your fingertips till the mixture is mealy. Add the half-and-half and stir just until a loose dough forms. Gather up the dough into a ball, place in a zip-top bag, and let stand for about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325F. Divide the ball of dough into 2 portions and, using a food processor fitted with a plastic dough blade, process each portion for 2 minutes. Gather both portions together, place on a lightly floured work surface, and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Fold over, roll out again, and continue folding and rolling until the dough is silky smooth, 4 to 6 times. After folding the final time, do not roll out. Cut out rounds with a 1-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, refold the scraps, and cut out more rounds. Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and prick each round with a fork. Bake in the center of the oven till very pale brown and the insides are dry and flaky, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately or let cool completely and store in a tightly covered tin up to 1 week. Makes 1-1/2 dozen.

Sam’s Cloud Biscuits

(These are awesome and light as a feather.)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled Crisco
2/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 475F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the two flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry cutter or rub with your fingertips till the mixture is very mealy. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg, add to the dry mixture, and stir with a fork just till the dough follows the fork around the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently 4 to 5 times. Roll out about 1/4-inch thick and cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Roll the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange rounds fairly close on two baking sheets. Bake in the center of the oven till just golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Makes approximately 2 dozen biscuits.

Hootie’s Mystery Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled Crisco
3/4 cup chilled 7-Up Soda (trust me)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 450F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry cutter till the mixture is mealy. Add the 7-Up all at once and stir with a fork just till the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead about 8 times. Roll out the dough 3/4 inch thick and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Roll the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Brush the rounds with the melted butter and bake in the upper third of the oven till golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes about 1 dozen biscuits.

Orange Cream Scones

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, cream, orange juice, and orange rind and stir just till a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead about 8 times. Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a 6-inch circle, and cut each circle into 6 wedges. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake in the center of the oven until golden, about 12 minutes. Butter the tops of the scones lightly and serve warm. Makes 1 dozen scones.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Cocktail Biscuits

1-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons chilled lard, cut into pieces
3/4 cup whole milk, or more as needed

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. In a food processor, combine the flour and cream of tartar and pulse quickly to blend well. Add the cheese, walnuts and lard, and pulse till the mixture is crumbly. Add the milk and pulse just until the dough is loose and still sticky, adding more milk if necessary. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 3 to 4 times. With floured hands, roll pieces of dough into balls about the size of large marbles and arrange on the prepared baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart. Press the balls down slightly with your fingers and bake in the upper third of the oven till golden, about 15 minutes. Makes about 20 biscuits.

NOTE: These recipes were a special request from a special friend. Enjoy.