biscuits without apology
Without apology? Do I have to justify or rationalize my mania for biscuits? Probably, depending on your point of view.
As far as I am concerned, biscuits are not stuck in any time period, for their permanence and goodness are a steady reminder that such a respected quick bread endures. To some, this is not fashionable bread—it does not possess the shaggy tear of a big bold crust, a feisty and holey crumb, or an insinuating flavor compound. Too bad. Some biscuits are tender, some flaky; some high-rising, some low-level. But every kind is a good kind, good and home-style. Well, on second thought, a tray of biscuits looks (and tastes) high-style on my dining room table. It’s a warming sight to see buttermilk biscuits especially, beaming with a last-minute brush of melted butter.
Of the many interpretations and iterations that a biscuit dough can go through—leavened by baking powder or baking soda (or both); with baking powder and cream of tartar; or raised with yeast—the plainest of each variety is the most enchanting to me. A basic buttermilk biscuit, with its slight tang and creamy crumb; a heavy cream–endowed biscuit; and a biscuit inflated with yeast, baking powder, and baking soda—somewhat fine-textured and really tender—all appeal. Pulled from the oven rack, filling the air with the fragrance of good baking, a tray full of biscuits requires having a block of salted butter ready to smear on, appropriately blurring the broken-apart surfaces. Preserves, honey, or fruit butter are always inviting, too, as their sweet intensity is a fitting contrast to the demure makeup of a biscuit’s internal composition. A biscuit half also becomes a comfortable surface for thin slices of country ham—a cushion for the smoky and the salty.
Yet, when a biscuit becomes shortcake, something fantastically different happens: three elements converge and become, as far as the last course is concerned, a dessert that trumps any other summer confection. A cascade of juicy and gently sweetened peach slices or blueberries, a cream biscuit, and a fluff of good whipped cream all mingle together naturally—joining, at once, the buttery, the fruity, and the creamy. The rich biscuits emerge from the oven with a soft crackle to the crust, generous sprinkles of sugar having dusted their unbaked tops. Split in half, a biscuit greets either one of my favorite toppings—warm buttered peaches or a blueberry compote—though three cups of lightly sugared raspberries or blackberries could stand in nicely. The thickest heavy cream you can find, whipped into substantial clouds, is not only the accepted accompaniment, it is the most delicious one.
Yet, I have to warn you that biscuits have the power of blurring other elements of the menu. They are just that mighty.
thistledown biscuits
serving: about 2 dozen biscuits
ahead: best on baking day; or freeze for 3 weeks, defrost, bundle in aluminum foil, and reheat in a preheated 300 degrees F oven for 10 minutes
yeast-leavened buttermilk dough
51/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm (105 to 110 degrees F) water
51/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) cool solid shortening, cut into tablespoon-size chunks
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) cool lard, cut into tablespoon-size chunks
2 cups buttermilk
For the dough, stir together the yeast, the 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and the warm water in a heatproof measuring cup. Allow the mixture to stand until swollen, 6 to 7 minutes.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, the 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Scatter over the chunks of shortening and lard and, using a pastry blender or two round-bladed table knives, cut the fat into the flour mixture until reduced to irregular bits about the size of large peas. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture and buttermilk. Pour over the flour mixture and stir to form a dough, using a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle. With floured hands, knead the dough lightly in the bowl for about 1 minute, or until it comes together smoothly. The dough will be soft. At this point, the dough can be patted into a thick cake, enclosed in several sheets of food-safe plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight. (If the dough is stored overnight, it will balloon into a fat pillow.) Or, cover the bowl with a sheet of food-safe plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Film the bottom of a large heavy rimmed sheet pan with nonstick oil spray. Or, line the pan with ovenproof parchment paper.
To form the biscuits, on a lightly floured work surface, with a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of a scant 3/4 inch. Stamp out biscuits, using a 21/2 by 21/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter. Avoid twisting the cutter or the biscuits may not rise evenly. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking pan, spacing them about 1/4 inch apart. Cover the pan with food-safe plastic wrap and let the biscuits rise at room temperature for 1 hour and 15 minutes, if the dough has just completed the 30-minute room temperature rise, or for 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes, if the dough has been stored overnight in the refrigerator, or until puffy. The biscuits will not have doubled in bulk.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F in advance of baking.
Remove and discard the sheet of plastic wrap covering the biscuits.
Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until set and a golden color on top. Cool the biscuits on the baking pan on a rack for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them to other cooling racks in sections, using a wide offset metal spatula. Carefully pull the biscuits apart for serving.
• the combination of shortening and lard yields biscuits that are both tender and flavorful; all shortening (1 cup) or 1/2 cup solid shortening and 8 tablespoons unsalted butter can replace the shortening-lard combination
• the shortening and lard should be at cool room temperature in order to produce biscuits with a tender, feathery texture
• if the baking pan you are using is not large enough, use two sheet pans
thistledown biscuits ❊ enduring buttermilk biscuits ❊ enduring pan biscuits
enduring buttermilk biscuits
serving: about 11/2 dozen biscuits
ahead: best on baking day
buttermilk dough
23/4 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsifted bleached cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 tablespoons cold solid shortening, cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk whisked with 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
butter swipe (optional)
3 tablespoons butter, melted and warm
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Have a large rimmed sheet pan or heavy cookie sheet at hand.
For the dough, whisk the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Scatter over the chunks of butter and shortening and, using a pastry blender or two round-bladed table knives, cut the fat into the flour mixture until reduced to irregular bits about the size of large peas. With your fingertips, further reduce the fat to smaller flakes. Stir in the buttermilk-lemon juice blend to form a dough, using a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl for 20 seconds, about 6 turns.
To form the biscuits, on a lightly floured work surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of a scant 1 inch. Stamp out biscuits, using a 2 or 21/2-inch square or round cutter. Avoid twisting the cutter or the biscuits may not rise evenly. Place the biscuits on the baking pan, spacing them about 21/2 inches apart.
Place the pan of biscuits in the preheated oven, immediately raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, and bake for 15 minutes, or until risen, set, and a golden color on top. Cool the biscuits on the baking pan on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes, then brush the tops with the melted butter, if you wish. Remove the biscuits to a pretty, cloth-lined dish, using a medium-width offset metal spatula. Serve warm.
notes
• use the thickest buttermilk you can find
• adding a little lemon juice to the buttermilk creates a whisked mixture that contributes to a very tender batch of biscuits
• if cake flour is unavailable, use a total of 3 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour; the texture of these biscuits will be a little tighter than those made with the small amount of cake flour, but just as delicious
• if the baking pan you are using is not large enough, use two sheet pans or cookie sheets
• the biscuits can also be baked in an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking pan: to do this, roll out the dough to a 7 by 7-inch square, cut into 9 squares, transfer the squares to the lightly buttered pan (leaving a hairline space between them), brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream, and bake for 20 minutes, or until set and golden on top; cool the biscuits in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then remove them with a small offset metal spatula
enduring pan biscuits
serving: 9 biscuits
ahead: best on baking day
heavy cream-wonderful dough
2 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
4 tablespoons cold solid shortening, cut into chunks
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream
butter swipe (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, melted and warm
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Film the inside of an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick flour-and-oil spray. Or, film the inside of the pan with softened unsalted butter.
For the dough, whisk the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl. Scatter over the chunks of butter and shortening and, using a pastry blender or two round-bladed table knives, cut the fat into the flour mixture until reduced to irregular bits about the size of large peas. With your fingertips, further reduce the fat to smaller flakes. Stir in the heavy cream and blend to form a dough, using a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl for 20 seconds, about 6 turns. The dough should be moist and slightly sticky.
On a lightly floured work surface, quickly pat the dough into as even a 7-inch square as possible, but feel free to keep it relatively rough (that is, the square does not have to be perfect). Cut the cake of dough into 9 squares. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking pan, lifting them carefully into the pan, using a small offset metal spatula.
Place the pan of biscuits in the preheated oven, immediately raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until risen, set, and a golden color on top. Cool the biscuits in the baking pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then brush the tops with the melted butter, if you wish. Remove the biscuits to a breadbasket, using a small offset metal spatula. Serve warm.
notes
• this is a pan version of my buttery cream drop biscuits
biscuits and a pile of fruit: summer shortcakes—as in rich cream dough, buttered peaches, blueberry compote, vanilla cream topping
serving: 6 large dessert biscuits, for splitting and topping
ahead: best on baking day; or freeze for 3 weeks, defrost, bundle in aluminum foil, and reheat in a preheated 300 degrees F oven for 10 minutes, then assemble
rich cream dough
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unsifted bleached all-purpose flour
23/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch-size cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
13/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plain sparkling sugar or sanding sugar, for sprinkling on the unbaked triangles of dough
~ or ~
For the dough, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and the 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Scatter over the cubes of butter and, using a pastry blender or two round-bladed table knives, cut the fat into the flour mixture until reduced to pearl-size bits. With your fingertips, lightly crumble the fat into the flour for 45 seconds (reducing the butter to smaller flakes of varying sizes).
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until well-combined. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the butter-enhanced dry ingredients and stir to form a dough. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl for 20 seconds, about 6 turns. Pat the dough into a 5 to 6-inch round on a sheet of waxed paper or ovenproof parchment paper, wrap up to enclose, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F in advance of baking.
Have a heavy cookie sheet or rimmed sheet pan at hand.
Cut the dough into 6 pie-shape wedges. Arrange the biscuits on the baking pan, placing them 3 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops with the sparkling or sanding sugar.
Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 17 to 18 minutes, or until firm, set, and a golden color on top. Lift off the biscuits to a cooling rack, using a wide offset metal spatula.
While the biscuits are baking, prepare the buttered peaches or blueberry compote.
To assemble the shortcakes, split the warm biscuits in half horizontally, using a finely serrated knife, and set the bottom half of each on a dessert plate. Spoon over the buttered peaches or blueberry compote (dividing the fruit evenly among the 6 biscuits), then cover each shortcake with a biscuit top. Place a dollop of vanilla cream topping over or to the side of each shortcake. Serve immediately.
notes
• if sparkling sugar or sanding sugar is unavailable, granulated sugar can be used for sprinkling on top of the unbaked triangles of dough
buttered peaches
serving: about 22/3 cups, depending on the size of the individual pieces of fruit
ahead: within 20 to 25 minutes of turning the peach mixture into the bowl
buttery peach sauté
6 juicy ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and thickly sliced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Toss the peach slices with the lemon juice in a medium-size nonreactive mixing bowl.
Heat the butter in a wide skillet over low heat until melted. Slide in the peaches. Increase the heat to moderate, turn the peaches in the butter for 1 minute, sprinkle over the sugar, stir lightly, and continue lightly sautéeing the peaches for 1 minute longer. Remove the skillet from the heat to a heatproof surface. Let the peaches stand in the skillet, off the heat, for 2 minutes, at which time the sugar should be dissolved. Turn the peach mixture into a nonreactive heatproof bowl and let stand for 10 minutes for the fruit and juices to meld, then spoon over the bottom half of each freshly baked biscuit.
notes
• to peel the peaches, dip them, 2 at a time, into a pot of boiling water for 45 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer them to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute; slip off each peel, using a small, sharp nonreactive paring knife
• ripe nectarines, plums, or pluots (halved, pitted, and thickly sliced) may be substituted for the peaches (only the peaches need to be peeled)
blueberry compote
serving: about 21/2 cups
ahead: within 45 minutes of turning the blueberry mixture into the bowl
lightly cooked blueberry sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 cup pomegranate-blueberry juice
2 cups blueberries, picked over
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sift the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together into a heavy, medium-size saucepan (preferably enameled cast iron). Whisk the ingredients together to blend well. Slowly stir in the pomegranate-blueberry juice.
Set the saucepan over moderately high heat and bring the juice mixture to the boil, stirring slowly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle. Boil the sauce base slowly until clear and lightly thickened, about 1 minute, stirring slowly but constantly. Avoid whisking or rapidly beating the mixture or it may thin out at this point or later, as it cools. Off the heat, carefully add the blueberries and stir gently. The berries should glisten in the thickened sauce. Return the saucepan to low heat and let the berries warm through—they should just begin to lose their firmness, but not collapse or burst—about 1 minute.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and carefully spoon the blueberry compote into a nonreactive heatproof mixing bowl. Place a piece of ovenproof parchment paper directly on the surface of the blueberry mixture. Use the compote warm or tepid, spooned over the bottom half of each freshly baked biscuit.
notes
• pomegranate-blueberry juice, used as the liquid component, creates the best- and most- complex-tasting compote and is worth searching out for this recipe, but pure blueberry juice or pomegranate juice alone may be substituted
vanilla cream
serves: about 2 cups
ahead: use the cream immediately, when it will be at its smoothest, finest best
vanilla cream topping
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
Chill a set of beaters and a medium-size mixing bowl for at least 45 minutes.
Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and whip until just beginning to mound.
Sprinkle over the sugar and continue whipping for 2 minutes longer, or until the cream holds its shape in soft mounds in the bowl of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla extract.
notes
• superfine sugar, rather than confectioners’ sugar, is ideal for sweetening the cream, as it will produce a topping with a clean, clear (rather than chalky) taste