The Best Biscuits

For the past 3 or 4 years, I have been looking for a great biscuit recipe.  I would try a new one, be dissatisfied, and Adam would say, "what does your perfect biscuit look and taste like?"  I usually would reply with something really specific like, "I don't know, but this isn't it."

This went on for about 12 recipes.  I tried suggestions from friends, and new cookbooks, and on blogs.  I really didn't know what I wanted, but each biscuit was a disappointment.  Until this one.

This one is light, fluffy, melt in your mouth, rises so high they fall over sometimes, and is supremely good.  I really don't know how to convince you further.  They are spectacular.  Also, they are super easy.  No weird ingredients, or long chill times required.  I am a big fan.

For my birthday a few weeks ago, I made them so we could do biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and they were perfect.  If you are still in the market for a biscuit recipe, you really ought to try this one out.

The Best No-Nonsense Biscuits:

from Bake!

Makes about 8 biscuits (My version of the recipe is halved, because we can't eat 12 -15 biscuits in a sitting, so feel free to double if you like, for a full dozen biscuits)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spoon into a measuring cup and level off with a knife)

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

7 Tbs unsalted butter, very cold, and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 + 1/8 cup milk (or 5/8ths cup, but that seems overly complicated...)

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and pulse several time to mix.

Add the butter pieces, and mix until there are no visible butter pieces left, but the mixture is still powdery looking.

Turn off the mixer, and dump the milk in.  With a rubber spatula, scrape upwards from the bottom of the bowl, to moisten as evenly as possible.

Flour a clean counter top or cutting board, and turn out the contents of the mixer.

Very carefully, press the dough into a 6" square, and fold into thirds, by folding the bottom third over the middle third, then folding the top third over that,  and pressing down.  Now, press it out again, to make it a little longer in length, and fold it into thirds again, this time from the shorter ends. Now press your small square of dough back into a 6" square.

Using a 2" cutter (or glass), floured before each cut, cut out the biscuits, cutting straight down, without twisting.  Press the scraps together, and cut out more biscuits, discarding the remaining scraps, after your first cut out of scraps.

Place biscuits on your baking sheet 1" apart and bake them for 15-20 minutes, pulling them when they are golden brown and well risen.  Let them cool for a couple minutes before serving.  Enjoy!