Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: Biscuits

Calories: 278kcal

Ingredients

250 g White Lily Self-Rising Flour ~2C
2 t Sugar
1 t Salt
60 g Leaf Lard ~6T (Colder the better)
180 ml Buttermilk ~3/4C (Colder the better)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Whisk together all the dry ingredients
Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients
Cut the ingredients a bit more by crossing two butter knives (or use a pastry cutter if you have one
Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms
Scoop out onto a floured surface and work the dough lightly until it's incorporated. Try not to let your hands melt the cubes of butter and don't press to hard or overwork the dough.
Form a rectangle about 3/4" thick, then fold. Press down to 3/4" again, then rotate and fold. Do this a couple more times. The folding creates the layers, but keep in mind that you want no more pressure than necessary so that the biscuit will be light and fluffy. Don't use a rolling pin or anything that would overly compress the dough. Just lightly shape with hands.
Cut into squares with a floured knife or rounds with a floured biscuit cutter. Do not slice with the knife or twist the biscuit cutter. Move straight down and up so you don't create a pinch in the side of the biscuit dough that would hinder the rising.
Place them on a sheet pan so they are all touching (this helps with rising). Brush the top with buttermilk and put them in the oven.
Cook 17 minutes

Notes

You can freeze before cooking or after cooking. Place them on a plate in the freezer and, once frozen, put them in a baggies. Freezing separately first helps keep them from sticking together.

White Lily Self-Rising Flour is made from 100% Soft Winter Wheat and this is key to soft and fluffy. Most all-purpose flour is Hard wheat has a higher protein content (11-15%) than soft wheat (5-9%). Bread flour typically has a protein content of 12-14%, all-purpose ranges from 9-12%, pastry flour contains 8-9%, and cake flour has about 7-8%. Either way, you want to reduce the protein content which kind of equates to the gluten content. You don't want to overwork the dough and the more gluten, the more likely you will underwork or overwork the dough and end up with a chewy biscuit. If you can't find White Lily Self-Rising Flour, try pastry flour (or mix 50% Pastry/50% All-Purpose and add 1T Baking Powder and 1/4t Baking Soda).

You can also substitute unsalted butter or shortening for the leaf lard without consequence.

Nutrition