There are a few sweet techniques and baking recipes that any decent cook should know how to execute, and biscuits are high up on the list. These flaky pucks of buttery clouds up your brunch game, get you brownie points to making strawberry shortcakes from scratch and can be made weeks in advance, cut out and frozen, ready to bake off in your toaster oven for a deserving guest. Keep the butter cold and don’t overwork your dough- the shaggier it looks, the better the biscuit.
Ingredients
3/4cupButtermilk
1/4cupHeavy cream
2Eggs1 whole, 1 beaten
2-1/4cupsAll purpose flourfluff it up before measuring
2tspsBaking powder
1-1/4tspsKosher salt
8ouncesUnsalted butter2 sticks, cold, cut into cubes
Instructions
Using a knife or bench knife, cut your butter into marble-sized pieces. Store the cut butter in the refrigerator until you’re ready to combine it with the other ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, cream, and whole egg, and in another large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients.
1. Add butter to flour mixture and toss until fully coated. Working quickly and using your fingers, rub butter into flour until butter forms pea-sized pieces. Alternatively, add flour mixture and butter to food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times to form pea-sized pieces; transfer to a large bowl.
Add buttermilk mixture and gently mix with a fork until just combined; the dough should look somewhat dry and shaggy. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Form dough into a rectangle, lightly pressing and folding to bring it together; avoid squeezing or kneading the dough. 1. Fold dough into thirds like a letter. Using rolling pin, roll out dough and repeat folding once more. Roll out dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Wrap in plastic and transfer to refrigerator for 10 minutes.
1. Return dough to work surface, and, using a 3-inch round cookie-cutter and pressing down without a twisting motion, cut out biscuits as closely together as possible. Gather together scraps, pat down, and cut out more biscuits; discard any remaining scraps. Brush the top of each biscuit with egg-wash.
Bake the biscuits in a 400° oven until risen and golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Out of buttermilk or too cold to grab your slippers and run out to the store? Make it yourself in 10 minutes by pouring out 3/4 cup milk (whole milk, preferably) and stirring in 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. Let this sit for 10 minutes in a warm spot.