Mile High Biscuits

If you've followed my blog for a while you know about my love for all things scones.  Cream scones, to be exact.  I had never made them until a few years ago, now it's about my most favorite thing to bake on a weekend.  They are delish, they are to DIE for.

So, it's probably no surprise to find out I love biscuits as well.  They are very similar and the method is pretty much the same.  Mile high biscuits are wonderful!!  They aren't quite a mile high, but they're nice and tall with lots of buttery delicious layers, a little crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  They're great at breakfast smothered in sausage gravy or as an egg sandwich.  They're even great at dinner!  But, I think my most favorite way to eat them is with some homemade raspberry jam.

A couple things to remember when working with biscuit dough.
*Embrace the crumbs- Your dough will be a little dry, as it should.  It's not going to be soft and elastic like bread dough, it'll be more craggy-looking.
*Less is best- Remember not to over work your dough or it will become too chewy.
*When using a biscuit cutter, don't twist it to get the dough out, it will seal off the edges, making it harder for the dough to rise "mile-high." Make sure the cutter is floured and you'll be able to lightly tap the dough out.


Mile-High Buttermilk Biscuits
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut in to chunks
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, fitted with a blade attachment, add all ingredients but the egg and buttermilk.  Pulse until it looks like a coarse meal.  Alternately, you can use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in the butter and shortening.  If you use your fingers, work QUICKLY as to not melt the butter.

In a large mixing bowl add the egg and buttermilk and whisk.  Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand just until dough comes together; about 10 seconds.

Pat dough out into a large round, about 1-1/2 inches thick.  Using the biscuit cutter of your choice, cut as many biscuits as you can. Barely press scraps together and cut the rest of the biscuits out.  Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Biscuits are best the first day but can be stored 2-3 days in a vented container. They will get soft over time, so if you're eating them on the second or third day, slice them in half and throw them under the broiler for a minute or two on each side to crisp them up a bit again.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Something Swanky