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!