Let’s play the WHAT IF game. What if I went back in time and slipped this recipe into my mother’s yellow recipe binder when I was a kid? How would that change the course of my life? Would that mean I wouldn’t be writing this today? Would I have 9 children and live on a commune in the desert? Would the flux capacitor actually exist? That would mean the delorean would still be a popular car, right!? Would I weigh over 500 lbs? Would I have my own biscuit shop in Vermont? One may never know…. The good news is that today I’m making up for my biscuit-less childhood. Reason #2482 why my son is the luckiest boy–these biscuits! He will never have to ponder this great big WHAT IF? What if my mom wasn’t a crazy biscuit lover? She just is.
What I like about biscuits is that they can be eaten at every meal– all day long. A huge dollop of apricot jam and a sliver of butter and your breakfast is covered. Split one in half, add some bacon, a slice of aged sharp cheddar, some tomato & arugula and you’ve got yourself a fantastic lunch. Plop one in a big bowl of white bean chili and LOOK! Dinner is served! Or you could be just like your pal, Tracy and eat a whole batch within a course of a Sunday…
And we’re off!
Plop your butter chunks in a bowl. Mix up your baking powder & flour. Add it to the bowl.
Take two forks and work the flour mixture into the butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
Add in your milk and mix! TADA. You have dough.
Pat the dough out onto your counter and cut your biscuits.
Put them on a buttered baking sheet and bake them in the oven.
So my biscuits are done and I put a big hunk of apricot jam on my first biscuit.
On my second biscuit, I added a little butter to the jam with a cup of coffee. Heaven!
Would you like one?
Flaky Buttery Biscuits
(recipe slightly adapted from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys))
Makes 12 small biscuits
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 6 tablespoons chilled salted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup milk
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Using a fork or 2 table knives, combine the butter and flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Slowly add the milk, stirring with a fork until just combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and gently knead just to bring the dough together. Carefully roll out the dough about 3/4 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or sturdy glass, cut about 12 biscuits, re-rolling any scraps. Place on baking shee and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly and serve warm.
