3000 miles 'til dinner.

Hot, buttery biscuits always awaken my early childhood ranch-life memories of breakfast and the aroma of biscuits, coffee and bacon …. not long after sunrise, sitting down to a groaning table laid with hot biscuits, ham or bacon, gravy, fried potatoes and platters of fried eggs. Yes, those were huge breakfasts, but indulged in with relish by all before starting a long days work. Needless to say, no one had heard about cholesterol !

Prep time:  30 minutes

Oven temp:  400 degrees, middle rack

Baking pan:  heavy bottom sheet pan or cookie sheet

                      (option) line with parchment 

Baking time:  20-25 minutes

Servings:  approx. 10 - 2” biscuits

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

2 C. unbleached white flour  (plus 1/2 C extra for dusting board)

1 cube cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

1 T. baking powder

1 t. sea salt

1/2 C. milk or cream

2 large eggs

Glaze 

 1 T. egg white, yolk or mix of both OR 1 T. milk or cream + 1/2 t. sugar

♥Prep - food processor

In processor bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder and butter pieces.  Pulse 8-10 times until butter is incorporated into flour and looks like “coarse meal”. You will still be able to see little bits of butter. Pour into a medium size mixing bowl.

Make a “well” in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg and milk. With a fork, gently stir ingredients together to make a loose, slightly wet dough. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Continue to pull dough together if there are a loose scraps until all is incorporated. Pat or roll with a rolling pin, the dough into a 1/2” thick rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds (like folding a letter into three parts). Add more four to the surface as you need it, but use as little as possible. Pat dough down and fold again. This process makes a flakey biscuit by layering the butter pieces.  Finally, pat into a 3/4” rectangle or circle.

Select a cookie cutter, biscuit cutter or glass from your cupboard —- any size or shape you want.  Dip the cutter into flour and, starting at the edge of the dough, gently press through the dough to cut the first biscuit. Continue dipping the cutter in flour before each cut, cutting each biscuit as close together as possible. Place biscuits on baking sheet as you go, leaving 1” between.  When finished, gather up remaining dough and knead together gently, roll and cut more biscuits.

Egg glaze:  1 T. egg, egg yolk or egg white — beaten with fork 

  (OR)

Milk glaze:  1 T. cream or milk + 1/2 t. sugar — beaten with fork

♥ Bake

Brush top of biscuits lightly with egg or milk wash. Pop in the oven and bake until golden brown. Best eaten right out of the oven, but are delicious re-heated. 

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*sub: 1/2 whole wheat flour

*sub: 1/2 or all hearty healthy butter

*consider: 1 C. grated cheese and reduce the butter by 1/2 C.

*consider: adding finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or thyme

*consider:  dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, basil

*fun idea:  roll the extra dough “scraps” into balls and bake

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*dry mix (butter/flour) can be made ahead and kept in fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for 2 months. 

*prepared dough can be made ahead and kept 4-5 hours in the fridge

*prepared, unbaked biscuits can be made ahead & kept 4-5 hours in the fridge

*reheating baked biscuits:  350 degrees for 5-8 minutes

*sweet biscuits for berry shortcakes:  add 1/2 C granulated sugar with the flour and butter before you process

(MIL post)