EDNA LEWIS'S BISCUITS
Edna Lewis mastered dozens of bread and biscuit recipes over the years, and in "The Taste of Country Cooking," she offers two for biscuits; this is the flannel-soft version. Be sure to use homemade baking powder, which you can make easily by sifting together 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda. It leaves no chemical or metallic taste.
Provided by Francis Lam
Categories side dish
Yield About 1 dozen
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Take a large bowl, sift into it the measured flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Add the lard, and blend together with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture has the texture of cornmeal.
- Add the milk all at once by scattering it over the dough. Stir vigorously with a stout wooden spoon. The dough will be very soft in the beginning but will stiffen in 2 or 3 minutes. Continue to stir a few minutes longer.
- After the dough has stiffened, scrape from sides of bowl into a ball, and spoon onto a lightly floured surface for rolling. Dust over lightly with about a tablespoon of flour as the dough will be a bit sticky. Flatten the dough out gently with your hands into a thick, round cake, and knead for a minute by folding the outer edge of the dough into the center of the circle, giving a light knead as you fold the sides in overlapping each other.
- Turn the folded side face down and dust lightly if needed, being careful not to use too much flour and cause the dough to become too stiff. Dust the rolling pin and the rolling surface well. Roll the dough out evenly to a 1/2-inch thickness or a bit less. Pierce the surface of the dough with a table fork. (It was said piercing the dough released the air while baking.)
- Dust the biscuit cutter in flour first; this will prevent the dough sticking to the cutter and ruining the shape of the biscuit. Dust the cutter as often as needed. An added feature to your light, tender biscuits will be their straight sides. This can be achieved by not wiggling the cutter. Press the cutter into the dough and lift up with a sharp quickness without a wiggle. Cut the biscuits very close together to avoid having big pieces of dough left in between each biscuit. Trying to piece together and rerolling leftover dough will change the texture of the biscuits.
- Place the biscuits 1/2 inch or more apart on a heavy cookie sheet or baking pan, preferably one with a bright surface. The biscuits brown more beautifully on a bright, shining pan than on a dull one, and a thick bottom helps to keep them from browning too much on the bottom. Set to bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 226, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 218 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram
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Mahan Mahzoon
[email protected]I've been making these biscuits for years, and they never disappoint. They're always a family favorite.
Elle Bradshaw
[email protected]These biscuits are the perfect comfort food. They're warm, fluffy, and buttery.
Robbie Burch
[email protected]I'm not a baker, but these biscuits were so easy to make! I'm definitely going to try more of Edna Lewis's recipes.
Lee aan Basson
[email protected]These biscuits were a little too salty for my taste. I think I'll reduce the amount of salt next time.
Asim Kakar
[email protected]I made these biscuits for a party, and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them.
Muzmmil Muzmmilbrohi4
[email protected]These biscuits are delicious! They're perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Jaggi Bajwa
[email protected]I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my biscuits didn't rise very much. They were still good, but they weren't as fluffy as I wanted them to be.
Lisa Ritchie
[email protected]These biscuits are the best! I've tried many different recipes, but this one is my favorite.
Faiaz Jubair Antu
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly, but my biscuits didn't turn out as good as I hoped. They were a little dense and dry.
Shay S
[email protected]These biscuits were so easy to make, and they turned out so well! I'm definitely going to be making them again.
Shankar Budthapa
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of biscuits, but these were really good! They were light and fluffy, and they had a great flavor.
Fraz Tanveer
[email protected]These biscuits were a little dry for my taste, but they were still good. I think I'll add a little more butter next time.
Maria Shaw
[email protected]I've made these biscuits several times now, and they are always a hit. My family and friends love them!
THABO Mokoena
[email protected]These biscuits are amazing! They are so fluffy and buttery, and they have a perfect golden brown crust. I followed the recipe exactly, and they turned out perfectly.