'Baking Powder' BISCUITS
Plan to try this recipe while you're here at Fourpeaks.
We provide the rising flour. And a free jar of our therapeutic Raw Wildflower Honey.
You just get the milk and butter.
Time for breakfast? You're 15 minutes away from fresh biscuits with heavenly honey.
Have you got time for this? We hope so!
Happy Baking!
PREHEAT oven (hot) 450deg.
Measure 3/4c MILK.
Mix in bowl 2c FLOUR, 3t(1T) BAKING POWDER, 1/2t SALT . We supply this "rising flour", all ready mixed for you.
ADD 4T (1/2 of 1/4lb stick) softened BUTTER to flour mixture. Blend by hand. ( Hard butter right out of the fridge won't blend easily. Plan ahead and leave butter out overnight. )
ADD milk to flour mixture stirring with spoon till dough ball forms.
Here's a baking tip.
- Moisture control is important. When thoroughly blended the dough should be moist but not sticky. Too dry? Biscuits are hard like crackers. Too wet? Impossible to roll and they won't rise right.
- Measure ingredients carefully. This is a tested recipe.
- Reserve a bit of flour and add what you need to get correct dough consistency -or-
- Reserve a bit of milk and add what you need to get correct dough consistency.
Turn dough out on floured board. KNEAD briefly. Press and roll to 1/2in. thick. (No rolling pin? Use wine, beer or coke bottle or just your hands.)
Cut 2in. circles. (No cutter? Use empty tin can. Or cut any shape you like of about the same size. ) Knead remnant & cut quarters.
BAKE 12m on ungreased baking sheet. Makes approximately 12 biscuits.
About the ingredients. Substitute buttermilk for a special flavor. Use butter only--not margarine. Use only unbleached flour. Try local mills for freshest flavor. Substitute graham (whole wheat) flour. Best if you can get it freshly ground.
Optional recipe: CHEESE DINNER BISCUITS: Add 1/2t ground mustard, 1/4c grated cheddar style cheese to flour. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese before baking.
'Mrs. Eliot's' BUTTERED SCONES
An English favorite, we enjoyed them most in the countryside in Wales. They are very nice with afternoon tea, but we like them for breakfast, too. They keep for several days.
PREHEAT oven 425deg.
Mix in bowl: 3c FLOUR, 4t BAKING POWDER, 1t Mrs. Eliot's MIXED SPICE (see recipe below), 4T SUGAR.
BEAT 2 EGGS in one cup measure and fill with MILK to one cup level (generous). Set aside.
ADD 8T(1/4lb stick) soft BUTTER to flour mixture. Blend by hand.
Add 1C Dried CURRANTS (Raisins, cranberries, peach or other fruit, finely chopped). Mix.
ADD liquid mixture to flour mixture stirring with spoon.
Turn out on floured board.
KNEAD briefly. Press and roll to 1/2in. thick. Cut 2in. circles. Knead remnant & cut quarters.
BAKE 12m on cookie sheet. Makes 18 scones.
Mrs. Eliot's MIXED SPICE
(Mixed Spice is not available in the U.S. Mix it yourself.)
1-1/3 Tablespoons ground nutmeg.
1-1/3 Tablespoon ground cinnamon.
2 teaspoons ground ginger.
1 teaspoon ground cloves.
Optional recipe: CHEESE SCONES. Omit sugar, spice & currants. Add 1t ground mustard, 1c (scant) grated cheese to mixture. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese before baking.)
More about the biscuits.
The Baking Powder Biscuit is an American biscuit, very popular down South. The source for this recipe: London & Bishov, The Complete American-Jewish Cook Book, Harper, 1971, paper, p.95. Many other recipes were researched, but this has a perfect balance of milk, butter and flour.
English scones have much more butter. The scone recipe is from Rose Eliot, English Baking, a great source for old fashion bread baking of all kinds.
Measure abbreviations and conversions.
C=cup, 8 USA fluid ounces (fl.oz.), 8.33 UK fluid ounces (UK fl.oz.), 237 milliliters (ml).
T=tablespoon, 1/2 USA fluid ounce (fl.oz.).
t=teaspoon, 1/3 tablespoon