TECHNIQUE
AMERICAN
CLASSICS
Biscuits
A hot oven and a confident hand are the key to
perfect biscuits. To get the details down pat,
we made a batch with American cooking
guru Scott Peacock.
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY
NANCY WALL HOPKINS
PHOTOS
ANDY LYONS
RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING
SCOTT PEACOCK
A
m
CLASSIC BUTTERMILK
BISCUITS
PREP:10MIN. BAKE:
8
TO 12MIN.
OVEN: 500°F
5
cups sifted unbleached
all-purpose flour
(measured after sifting)
1
Tbsp. plus iVfetsp. homemade
baking powder (see “Get
Serious with Leavening,”
page 156)
1
Tbsp. kosher salt
V2
cup plus 2 Tbsp. packed
lard or butter, chilled
2
cups chilled buttermilk
3
Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1.
Heat oven to 500°F. In large bowl
whisk together flour, homemade
baking powder, and kosher salt. Add
lard, coating in flour. Working quickly,
rub lard between fingertips until
roughly half the lard is coarsely
blended and half remains in large
pieces, about 3/4 inch.
2.
Make a well in center of flour
mixture. Add buttermilk all at once.
With a large spoon stir mixture
quickly, just until it is blended and
begins to mass and form a stick}'
dough. (If dough appears dry, add 1 to
2 tablespoons additional buttermilk.)
3.
Immediately turn dough onto
generously floured surface. Using
floured hands, knead briskly 8 to
10 times until cohesive ball of dough
forms. Gently flatten dough with
hands to even thickness. Using
floured rolling pin, lightly roll
dough to
3
/4-inch
thickness.
4.
Using a dinner fork dipped in flour,
pierce dough completely through at
Vi-inch intervals. Flour a 2 V 2- or
3-inch biscuit cutter. Stamp out
rounds and arrange on heavy
parchment-lined baking sheet. Add
dough pieces, as-is, to baking sheet.
5.
Place on rack in upper third of
oven. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until crusty
and golden brown. Remove. Brush
with melted butter. Serve hot.
MAKES 12T016 BISCUITS.
EACH BISCUIT23J
cal, 12 gfat (.3gsat.fat
),
8
mgchol, 200 mg sodium, 26gcarbo,
2gfiber, 6gpro. Daily Values:8% vit.A,
18% vit.
C,
7% calcium, 7% iron.
c&w-
1 5 4
FEBRUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
