This will be the first recipe I’ve shared completely from memory. The most basic biscuit recipe in the land. I made these for friends once and their 5 year old Montessori-schooled genius baby came into the kitchen and recited my exact recipe aloud. She had just made them in class. She is a brilliant child but everyone, she is FIVE and she can make biscuits.
I tell you this to console any doubt you may have about successfully achieving fluffy, delicious biscuits. I believe the trick with baking, especially biscuits, is confidence and an air of romance. You’ll massage the butter into the flour with your hands (you have to use your hands, sorry). It’s sensual and relaxing and so much fun. And you end up with these glorious, steaming, flakey butter pillows.
Preheat your oven and let’s do this.
BRITTANY’S BASIC ASS BISCUITS
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar (I’ve used brown in the absence of granulated and it’s fine)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Stick Unsalted Butter, cold (or if you only have Salted, use less salt)
3/4 Cup (+ a splash more sometimes) literally whatever milk you have, Buttermilk is best
Preheat oven to 425° and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat.
In a medium to large mixing bowl, mix all your dry ingredients together and whisk with a fork.
Straight from the fridge, cut your butter into small pieces. I usually give it two long-way cuts and then about 6 short-way cuts. Does that make sense? Cut into small cubes.
Take off your rings. Toss that butter into the flour mixture and coat all your cubes in flour. Now, massage. You’re massaging all the butter into the flour. You gotta use your hands, it’s the only way. Alison Roman says, “Using your hands, smash the butter between your palms and fingertips, mixing it into the flour, creating long, thin, flaky, floury, buttery bits…”You wanna get all that butter incorporated. Don’t freak out and don’t overdo it. It’ll be shaggy and crumbly.
Mix your cold milk into the flour/butter and stir with a wooden spoon. (You don’t have to use a wooden spoon but it’s best…I don’t know why.) Get your hands in there again. It’s gonna be cold and messy. Fun! Form into an incorporated dough ball and knead in the bowl only a few times. Maybe 4 kneads. If your dough is too dry and floury, add milk by the Tablespoon until it all comes together. This isn’t a sticky dough but it shouldn’t be dry and falling apart either.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and flatten your ball to about a half inch thickness. I like big fluffy biscuits but you may like them smaller. Feel yourself. You can make them flatter if you like.
The best biscuit cutter we have in our family is made from a hollowed out tuna can. It’s the perfect size. I currently use a glass. Use what you have. Cut your biscuits. Re-flatten the dough as you go. My yield is always 6 biscuits with the 6th biscuit being hand formed from remaining dough.
Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown on top.
Brush with melted butter upon removing from oven.
Put a pat of butter and some jam in the middle and enjoy!!
Please let me know when you make these. Biscuits are the best.
See you Monday, have a delicious weekend!
Cheers!