Introduction: How to Make Perfect Homemade Biscuits
The Perfect Homemade Biscuits
Step 1: Ingredients Are the Key
You must use White Lily all purpose flour, real butter and shortening.
Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients and Cut in Fats
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter and shortening until there are pea size chunks of fat.
Step 3: Fold the Dough
Gently stir in buttermilk until just mixed. Do NOT OVER MIX. Flour a clean surface generously. Keep extra flour on hand so you can add as you knead. Flour your hands, bring the dough together and start lightly folding the dough in half. Gently knead by turning and folding. Do this about 6 to 10 times until the dough comes together and is beginning to feel smooth.
Step 4: Cut the Biscuits
Pat the dough out to about 1″ thick. Cut as many biscuits as you can on the first roll out. To cut use floured cutter, push straight down and DO NOT TWIST to release. Reform the dough very gently and cut more biscuits. The second cutting may not rise as much as the first.
Step 5: Brush Tops With Buttermilk
Turn the biscuits upside down and place on a parchment lined baking pan. You want them almost but not touching. Brush the tops with buttermilk and bake for about 15 minutes.
Step 6: Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt (see note)
2 Tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, (cold and cut into cubes)
2 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup cold buttermilk
extra buttermilk for brushing tops
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender not your finger tips, quickly cut shortening and butter into flour mixture until combined until you have various sizes no larger than peas. This should also take less than a minute. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the buttermilk. Working from the outside in, bring the flour into the center with a large spoon, scooping and turning bowl until the buttermilk is incorporated into the flour. (Use a light hand here, we are simply gently tossing the flour together with the buttermilk until it's combined)Turn the wet sticky dough out onto a well floured surface. Keep a small pile of extra flour on hand to add to your surface or your hands as needed. Flour your hands and bring dough together, then lightly fold it in half in a gentle kneading motion. Do this about 5-7 times until your dough comes together and is beginning to feel smooth. Pat dough out to about an inch thick. Using a floured cutter, cut the dough into desired sizes. Turn biscuits upside down and place onto an ungreased baking sheet, close together but not touching. Brush tops with a little bit of buttermilk. Bake until they have risen nice and tall and are golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Serve warm