TECHNIQUE
fo o d
the
r
perfect
biscuit.
..
is crusty and golden,
brown on the top, and lightly
browned on the bottom.
has a soft, light center
that is tender, but not too airy.
is not too drv, not too
J
7
moist. When you add a pat of
butter it will soak right in.
is delicious by itself,
yet makes an excellent vehicle for
other flavors. It should be well-
seasoned with salt, with a slight
buttermilk tang.
is the right size-
3
inches across and
^
inch high—
the ratio of crusty exterior to
soft interior is important.
Scott Peacock,
Better
Homes and Gardens
American
Classics expert, is executive chef at
Watershed Restaurant in Decatur,
Georgia, and was named Best Chef
in the Southeast by the James
Beard Foundation in 2007. This is
the first in Scott’s American
Classics series.
< CHOOSE YOUR FLOUR
AND SIFT, SIFT, SIFT
Use any good unbleached all-purpose
flour—unbleached flourcontains more
protein than bleached flourand makes
a slightly sturdier biscuit. I prefer
organic unbleached flour. Whichever
flouryou use, always sift the flour first
and measure after sifting. Siftingthe
flour produces lighter biscuits.
GET SERIOUS W ITH LEAVENING >
Makingyour own baking powder is easy
and economical. Sift together three
times the following: !4cup cream of
tartar and 2 tablespoons baking soda.
Store in a clean, dry, tight-sealing jar at
room temperature, away from direct
sunlight, up to 4 weeks. Use in any recipe
calling for purchased baking powder.
“W orking th e lard in
properly is th e secret
to success. First, coat
th e lard in th e flour
m ix tu re and rub
b etw een your
fingertips until
roughly h a lf th e lard
is coarsely blended
an d th e o th e r h alf
rem ains in large
pieces, about
3
/4
inch in size.
< STIR W ITH A PURPOSE
When mixingthe dough,stir just until
the batter is well-moistened and
begins to clingtogether. Overworking
can lead to tough, dry, and heavy
biscuits; underworking can result in
biscuits that are crumbly and leaden.
Learn more
about making
biscuits at better, tv.
For videos and more how-tos
from Scott, log on to
bhg.com/
am ericanclassics/biscuits
To order a biscuit-making kit,
see page
170
.
■
HANDLE W ITH CARE >
Go for a light touch when kneading.
Knead gently but quickly and avoid
pressing too firmly. Lift and fold the
dough gently onto itself,giving it a
quarter turn after each knead.
156
FEBRUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
