Even the most basic biscuit recipe will yield perfectly passable results, but it's
those expert tips and tricks that really make a difference. If you want to bake the flakiest,
most tender biscuits you've ever had, these kitchen secrets will change absolutely everything!
If you're like most casual bakers, you probably pick up the cheapest store-brand bag of flour when
you wander down the baking aisle at the grocery store. All flour is created equal right? Well,
the Allrecipes website put that question to the test to find out just how important
flour is when it comes to making delicious biscuits. Turns out, it's extremely important.
Six batches of biscuits were made, with the brand of all-purpose flour being the only
difference between them. Well-known favorites like Gold Medal and Bob's Red Mill were included,
but other brands like White Lily and King Arthur produced the best results. Allreceipes found that
"[Biscuits made with these brands of flour had a] fluffy, tender texture and outstanding flavor."
In fact, if you spend enough time browsing through biscuit recipes,
you'll see that White Lily is often favored when it comes to making biscuits.
But why? According to Southern Kitchen, White Lily is made from soft winter wheat
and comparably low in protein. That's a good thing when you're making biscuits, because it means the
gluten development is inhibited. The result is a light, fluffy biscuit… just like mom used to make.
When it comes to making biscuits, here's a tip you'll hear time and time again:
Your butter must be cold. And if you want to take things a step further, you might as well
throw your bowl of flour into the fridge, too… even before you start making your biscuits.
Cold ingredients are the key to making better biscuits. It's what gives them that flaky texture
you so crave. To ensure your ingredients are cold enough, Southern Living recommends putting
the mixture of butter and flour back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before continuing
with the recipe. Got that? Chill before. Chill after. And when your biscuits go into the oven,
the butter should still be ice cold. The end result will speak for itself!
"Biscuits. Red biscuits, black biscuits, nothing else matters."
"Is that all you think about?"
"Yes! BISCUITS!"
When it comes to biscuit-making, bakers generally fall into one of two camps:
Those who think that it's perfectly acceptable to use a rolling pin, and those who don't. Sam
Sifton, Food Editor of The New York Times, falls firmly into the latter camp. As he puts it,
"[Biscuits] require a soft touch on the mixing, turning out and patting down of
the dough. [...] Do not fool with a rolling pin. A rolling pin has no place in biscuits."
If you've ever wielded a rolling pin, you know that it's easy to manhandle the dough, and the
more you work and roll, the tougher the biscuits will be. Aside from the potential of overworking,
there's also the issue of the additional flour needed. Since you'll need to dust the
dough and the rolling pin to ensure things don't stick, you run the risk of drying the dough out.
Bottom line: Don't be afraid to pat the dough out with your hands. It might not
look picture perfect, but you'll love the texture.
When you're making biscuits, don't reach for that mixer. It will make the fats get too warm,
and the dough will be overworked. The result? Overly dense and heavy biscuits.
Instead, take advantage of a food processor. According to Cook's Illustrated,
it's the best way to make the fluffy biscuits of your wildest dreams.
A few pulses of the machine will ensure the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated.
The blade quickly cuts the fat into the flour... which is key to keeping it cold.
You'll need to be patient when adding butter into the dry ingredients… because adding it all at once
will affect the texture of the dough. For the best results, pulse the fat into the flour in batches.
Before you start cutting your dough willy-nilly,
make a plan. Baker Carrie Morey tells Taste of the South:
"Make the most of your first roll-out of the biscuit dough, and stamp as many out as close
together as possible, because the second roll is monumentally different in texture."
Don't even think about a third roll — you've got a firm two-roll limit here, no matter how
much dough you have left. It's the only way to achieve that tender flaky texture you so crave.
"Wow."
"What is it?"
"You're right, Kelly."
"I am?"
"Yeah. These are magical."
When it comes to baking biscuits, you should consider what you bake them in. Cast iron is a
good choice for biscuit-baking because it holds heat well, helping the biscuits to cook faster.
If you don't have a cast iron pan, you can still use a baking sheet like you would for cookies...
just make sure to keep the dough nestled together. Baker Carolyn Roy tells Taste of the South,
"Don't spread out your biscuits on the baking sheet. It's best if they're actually touching
each other. This will help to push them upward and give them some nice height."
No matter what pan you choose, your oven should be hot. Southern Living recommends setting the
temperature to 475 degrees to ensure your biscuits rise and bake quickly. Chef Virginia Willis says,
"[A high temperature is essential because] the steam interacts with the baking powder
to create the biscuit's ideal textures inside and out."
Take these tips to heart and you'll become a biscuit-baking beast in next to no time. HIT IT!
"You get big-tastin' biscuits / you get / big flaky biscuits / every tiii-iii-iiiii-me…"
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