Monday, February 28, 2011

Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits


When you have a craving, is it for sweet, salty or starchy foods? For me, I will take a starchy or salty treat over a sweet treat any day. Don’t get me wrong, I do have a sweet tooth every now and then. If you offered a couple cookies or a bag of potato chips with dip, the chips and dip would win hands down.




















Sunday morning was such a craving. Typically, my hubby likes to either go out or have a big breakfast at home on Sunday mornings. With the weather around the Bay Area unusually cold over the last few weeks, it makes you want to retreat to sitting in front of the fire and enjoying comfort foods.


A great biscuit is fluffy, light, flakey, buttery, soft and crispy on the bottom. You can rarely just eat one – they are addictive. Plain, with jam or butter, they are one of life’s simple pleasures.




















As with my philosophy about life, I strive to do the best job I can do. I posted these biscuits a while back and they were good, but I do believe this version is better.  My inspiration and adaptation came from seeing this post on The Sophisticated Gourmet. Thank you Kamran. We enjoyed them with the grapefruit marmalade that I made during the holidays. What a great way to start a beautiful Sunday morning.

















Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits

2 1/8 C. Flour
4 t. Baking powder
2 1/2 t. Sugar
¼ t. Cream of Tarter
½ t. Salt
1 Chilled stick butter or shortening (1/2 cup) cut into small pieces
⅔ C. Buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400º

In a large bowl, blend together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add in the cold butter and toss the butter in the flour. Using your finger tips quickly cut and rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles pea-size pieces. I recommend using your hands for best results but do not overwork.

Pour in the buttermilk. Using a fork, mix everything until it just comes together. Lightly dust a bread board with flour. Turn the dough out, lightly dust the top with flour, and gently knead the mass until it comes together.

Using your hands, flatten the dough out into a rectangle one-inch thick. Cut into twelve pieces.

Transfer each biscuit to a non-stick baking sheet. The closer you have them together, the softer they will be. Bake for 10-15 minutes until they are lightly golden brown around the edges. Best eaten right out of the oven for peak deliciousness!

21 comments:

  1. These seem to be the flakiest biscuits I've ever seen!! I'll take a plateful, thanks. Oh, and some marmalade too, please!
    Seriously, they look perfect. Love 'em!

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  2. Oh my! Your buttermilk biscuits look perfect, Lisa. I love it's rustic, uneven shape. And Kim is right, it'll be great with marmalade but I'll be happy with just butter, too. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. These do look perfect...I get cravings for something warm and yeasty, but I know that these biscuits would also do the trick! Thanks for sharing such a tasty morning (or evening) treat. I hope you had a great Monday...and that tomorrow is even better, my sweet friend!

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  4. Oh these look like the perfect vehicle for your homemade marmalade;-)

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  5. I am like you .. i would go for the chips over some sweet dish :) My husband would however prefer the sweet dish! This biscuits looks amazing and the way it getting chill in bay area .. i bet it's a treat !

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  6. OMG, they look sooo good!! I definitely have to try to make these :-)

    My best,

    Birthe from Denmark

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  7. Those biscuits really do look light and fluffy and how perfect have your grapefruit marmalade to go with them. Now I don't want to eat my oatmeal, Lisa!

    I hope you're having a good week so far. :-)

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  8. Your photos are making my mouth water. These biscuits look incredible!

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  9. Wow, these biscuits look amazing. It looks like you did some folding with yours? Yum!!! I so want one of these right now.

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  10. Oh those look light and fluffy just like a biscuit should! And I'm loving the idea of grapefruit marmalade as well!!

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  11. They look so delicious! I love biscuits with jam. And, now I'm having biscuit cravings.

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  12. I love how flaky these look...simply delightful!
    Hope you are having a wonderful week :)

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  13. SO flaky and wonderful! And I love that they're square...fun :)

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  14. I'm a sweet tooth. But I need something comforting, I go for bread-related food. I'm still on the quest for the perfect biscuits recipe. I might have found it! So need to try out this

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  15. I love how this looks so yummy! And love the homemade marmalade, so good!

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  16. Those biscuits look fluffy and moist and well, just perfect! :D

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  17. My cravings are almost always of the salty,starchy variety - chips are definitely a weakness :) Your description of the perfect biscuit is spot on, and you've met all criteria here! I need to make these for sure.

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  18. It's been forever since we went out for breakfast on a Sunday. What's wrong with us? But I understand. My husband likes to make breakfast on Sundays which is nice. I make decent biscuits (and like you prefer the non-sweet "treat") but I've never seen them made like this. Very cool! Would love to try them.

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  19. perfect for breakfast,delicious!

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  20. I just found your blog (through the sophisticated gourmet ironically) and I already like it! Your pictures are simple and well done
    and I'm already starting to feel a need to make biscuits :)

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