The Perfect Biscuit Recipe Old time Hints for good biscuits

Perfect Biscuit Recipe
Old time Hints for good biscuits

Perfect Biscuits
pre-heat oven to 425

2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Sift together all the dry ingredients.
mix in the shortening, by hand, a little at a time.
Make a well in the dough with your finger,
then pour the buttermilk in the well, hand mix.
The dough will be wet.

Pinch off pieces of the dough, the size of a small egg
Using a large mixing bowl or wooden bread bowl with additional flour -
drop your dough pieces into the bowl coat them with additional flour and
lightly roll them around in your hands forming a ball shape.
Try not to handle to dough too much

Place floured biscuits on a greased baking sheet,
flatten them to about 1/2 inch thick by using the back of your 3 middle fingers.
This is the signature of your biscuit.
Many bakers used to be able to tell you, who baked which biscuits,
by the fingerprints.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until perfectly browned.


Important notes on How to make the perfect biscuit:

*Leave out the soda if you don't use buttermilk.
*Before cooking; let your uncooked biscuits stand a few minutes before placing in the oven to let the flour set - on the outside of the biscuits.
*Handling the dough too much will cause the biscuits to be tough.
*Do NOT use an electric mixer
*You may substitute self rising flour and omit the baking powder and salt, but the best biscuit bakers say to use all purpose flour.
*This recipe makes approximately 10 'regular' biscuits or
about 5 'cathead' biscuits.



Diary of a Kentucky Cook