How to make light, moist, fluffy and fabulous biscuits!
Biscuits are quick and easy to do. We especially like them made with either sour dough or sour cream. Both are acceptable. You can add sour dough to a biscuit mix to make stunning biscuits, which we will do in a pinch, but we usually make them from scratch. (I say “we” here because we both bake and cook in the kitchen. The man of the house is a better cook than the woman in our home.)
For those of you who do not keep sour dough on hand, I have also included the sour dough recipe and instructions. We like them both equally but don’t always have sour dough on hand or remember to feed it after use, which restricts the amount that is ready for baking. These recipes are made with basic white flour, not self rising or whole wheat.
Directions are the same for both recipes and are listed below.
Sour Cream Biscuits
Bake in 425F preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, depending on size of biscuit.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Sour Dough Biscuits
Bake in preheated 375F oven for 15-20 mins, depending on size of biscuit.
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sourdough
Directions for Sourdough and Sour Cream biscuits:
Please use a dish with a light coloured bottom. These recipes are for using a glass dish which usually prevents dark bottoms on biscuits and cookies.
Mix together all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until well blended. Cut in the shortening. This is not pastry so you can cut it in until it is well mixed. Add wet ingredients called for in recipe of choice (milk, sour cream, sour dough) to make a very sticky, wet dough. You will use a lot of flour on the rolling surface and on your hands and utensils but it is worth it. Moisture is very important to make moist biscuits.
Flour a flat, clean surface with a layer of flour. Dump out the dough onto the floured surface. Liberally flour your hands and gently shape the pile of dough into a cohesive lump. Do not use a rolling pin. This dough is very soft and easily shaped with your floured hands. You will need to add more flour to your hands from time to time. Flatten the lump of dough until it is about 1″ thick and shape it into a square with fairly straight sides and corners. Flour a sharp knife and cut into 2″ squares. You will need to continuously add more flour to the knife to keep it from sticking to the dough, probably a few times just cutting one line.
Grease a glass dish. It is important to use a glass dish when baking biscuits and cookies to prevent the “dark bottom syndrome”. I know I have said this already, but it is important. Gently lift the biscuits and add them to the greased, glass dish, separating them by at least 1″. These will flatten and spread a bit in the pan, so make sure they are taller than you want the baked biscuits to be, shaping more with your hands as you add them to the pan. Add a tiny piece of butter to the top of each biscuit. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15-18 mins. Take them out when the top is lightly browned. If the biscuits are the usual size, the inside will be done. If you have made them very large, you may need to bake a bit longer.
Make sure you are familiar with your oven. Most electric ovens get hotter with wear and your oven may not be baking at the desired temperature. If you are unsure, put an oven thermometer inside the oven when it is preheated to see what the temperature inside the oven is, and adjust the baking temperature accordingly.
(Yes, I know. That’s a Christmas tablecloth still on my table in April. Quit laughing! Some of us are busy, you know…)
Sour Dough Starter for biscuits and waffles only, not for bread
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water. Stir in remaining 2 cups water, flour and
sugar. Let stand at room temperature until bubbly, stirring 2-3 times per day.
Keep in lidded container in refrigerator. Feed after use: 1 cup flour, 1 cup
milk, 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Leave overnight before using again.
