Crunchy Salty Sweet

When it comes to making biscuits, there are a million tips and tricks out there promising to give you the flakiest and lightest results. After making many, many biscuits, following a variety of these tips, I’ve found the three essentials things that make the perfect biscuit:

1. Cold butter – this is crucial to getting flaky biscuits. I grate frozen butter into my dough (butter straight from the fridge works too). Many people talk about chilling the bowl, flour, salt (lol), but I think that’s unnecessary.

2. Handle the dough as little as possible – this tip results in a super tender biscuit. I pretty much barely combine everything before dumping onto the floured surface. Then it’s a few gentle folds and that’s it!

3. Fold the dough before pressing out – this will ensure a ton of layers in the end result. Instead of kneading the dough, I simply fold it on itself a few times and then press it out with my hands (no rolling pins). Perfect every time!

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar, in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until everything is incorporated.

Grate the frozen butter into the dry mix. You can also use refrigerated butter and use a pastry cutter to incorporate until the butter is about the size of peas.

Add the buttermilk and mix with your hands until the batter just begins to form.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board.

Gently, gently pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough on itself two times.

Pat the dough out again and repeat two more times. Finally, press the dough down so it is about 1/2 inch thick. 

Finally, fold the dough in half (this will give you the perfect seam for easy opening after the biscuits are baked), so it will be about 1 inch tall.

Cut into rounds.

Place the biscuits onto an unlined cookie sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. You could also set the biscuits right next to each other if you want softer sides. I like crispy edges, so I set them further apart.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.

Serve immediately, make yourself a banging breakfast sandwich, or macerate some strawberries and serve warm with some whipped cream…choose your own adventure.

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Adapted from: food.com

Makes: 6 large biscuits

Prep: 10 minutes, Cook: 11 minutes, Total: 21 minutes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar, in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until everything is incorporated.

Grate the frozen butter into the dry mix. You can also use refrigerated butter and use a pastry cutter to incorporate until the butter is about the size of peas.

Add the buttermilk and mix with your hands until the batter just begins to form.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board.

Gently, gently pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough on itself two times. Pat the dough out again and repeat two more times. Finally, press the dough down so it is about 1/2 inch thick. 

Fold this 1/2 inch dough in half (this will give you the perfect seam for easy opening after the biscuits are baked), so it will be about 1 inch tall.

Cut into rounds.

Place the biscuits onto an unlined cookie sheet, about 1-2 inches apart.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.

Serve immediately.