Fluffy on the inside, with crispy buttery tops made this a huge hit in my kitchen. Total comfort food made completely from scratch. This recipe is a quick and easy, "cut-in" buttermilk biscuit recipe that is, "according to legend supposed to be the size of a cat's head". This recipe makes them more reasonable sized, but equally delicious. The dough was easy to stir together, and the method of pulling the dough to form the biscuits, welcomed. A pie-like crust on top, they make a perfect start to our Sunday morning.
Ingredients (Makes Twelve 2 1/2-inch biscuits)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, plus 4 tablespoons , melted
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan or an 8-by-8-inch metal or glass square baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Scatter the butter cubes over the flour mixture and toss gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly coated. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal but chunks of butter are still visible. (Alternatively, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, cut the butter into the flour mixture with about three 1-second pulses.) Make a well in the center of the mixture, pour in the cold buttermilk, and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir just until the dough comes together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough should be shaggy and a little sticky.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Coat your hands well with flour, then pull off 12 approximately egg-size chunks of dough, dredge them thoroughly in the flour, and gently place the chunks next to each other, just touching, in the prepared pan. Resist the urge to smooth and shape the dough. Leave it rough and shaggy so you end up with a nice craggy crust.
Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Pour any remaining butter over the tops of the biscuits.
Bake until puffed and golden brown, rotating the baking pan halfway through, 15 to 17 minutes.
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. If you are not serving the biscuits right away, wrap them tightly in plastic or place in a resealable bag and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To serve, place the biscuits on a baking sheet and warm in a preheated 400-degree oven for 5 minutes.
From “Muffins and Biscuits” by Heidi Gibson
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