Easy Biscuits

I spent most of my life trying to duplicate my mother's biscuits. I even worked at a national fast food chain that was renowned for its biscuits and learned the fine art of biscuit making in the meantime. I have taken the acquired knowledge and applied it with this recipe that I found and am now sharing with you. I have tried many other recipes, but this one seems to be the one that really works! Light, fluffy and tall biscuits every time if you follow the directions. There are do's and don'ts on biscuits.

• Don't twist the biscuit cutter

• Don't over mix the dough

• Try not to use your hands to mix any more than you have to

• Don't roll the dough too thin or thick (1/2" to 1" is the best)  Too thick and they won't cook all the way and too thin and they will be hockey pucks.

• Do use cold milk

• Do use cold fats

• Do allow the dough to rest for a minute before rolling and before baking once they have been cut

• Do apply an oil of some sort to the tops of the biscuits after cutting. 

• When cutting the butter and shortening into the flour, I grab a handful of mix and smear the mix in between my fingers...breaking up the size of the fats. The directions say to make it look like meal, but it is impossible to break it up that small and keep the fats cold. Just make sure you don't have large bits of butter or shortening and it is thoroughly mixed. 

• I use a cutting mat to knead and roll my dough. It makes clean-up super fast and easy and I can turn the mat when rolling the dough for an even rolling. 

Another great tip I discovered is for those of us that don't keep buttermilk around the house, use mix half a cup of sour cream and half a cup of milk. The sour cream will add significant moisture and flavor.

The tip for the oil on the top of the biscuits: Use non-stick spray. The brand I use is just canola oil and therefore spray is the perfect application tool. There are butter flavor sprays, but I am a purist, so we use real butter.

Best Easy Biscuits

2 c flour
4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
2 T butter (cut the butter into small pieces)
2 T shortening
1 c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Using your fingers, rub the butter and shortening into the flour until it becomes mealy. Don't spend too much time on this as you don't want the fats to melt. Stir in the milk until the dough has just come together. Do not over-mix.

Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over itself (see diagram). Press into 1/2" to 1" thick and cut biscuits with 2" cutter.  Place biscuits on baking sheet so they are touching, lightly coat top with oil of choice Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Rub a stick of butter over the top of hot biscuits.