Thursday, April 21, 2011

Homemade Flaky Layer Biscuits

Flaky Buttery Goodness!

I always liked the grands flaky layer biscuits that are available in the supermarket. Since I have been trying to make all of my store bought favorites at home I decided to attempt these flaky layer biscuits. Well not really I just had some buttermilk I needed to use. This recipe from food.com looked really delicious with all the individual buttery layers so I decided I would give it a try. The first few steps are pretty easy but when it comes time to make the folds that is when things get serious. Unlike regular biscuit making this particular recipe is like making puff pastry with all the folds involved. I recommend using a silpat or any silicone baking sheet to roll out the biscuits instead of a table top along with a bench knife to remove the dough easier. These biscuits bake up with a crispy bottom and top and buttery flaky layers in between. This recipe is  just really tasty, and makes for a wonderful treat during a special dinner.

Homemade Flaky Layer Biscuits
Adapted from Food.com

4 1/2 cups white lily all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter or 1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup shortening, cut into pieces
1 3/4-2 cups cold buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened to room temperature,cut into 1 tablespoon portions
2 tablespoon unsalted butter or 1 tablespoon margarine, melted,for brushing tops
 

- Preheat oven to 450° (500° if using a convection oven).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
- Cut cold butter or shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
(Mixture will resemble coarse crumbs, with no large chunks of butter.) If butter gets very soft at this point, refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
- Add 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, stirring just to moisten all ingredients.
Dough should be soft and moist; add remaining 1/4 cup as needed.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 10 times, or just until dough holds together.
- Roll or pat dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle.
- With short side nearest you, spread top two-thirds of dough with 3 tablespoons soft butter, leaving bottom third, closest to you, un-buttered.
- Fold dough into thirds (like you would fold a letter) by pulling bottom third up over center and then pulling top third over middle.

- Turn dough so short side faces you.
- Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.
- In same manner, spread again with 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold letter style.
- Turn once more in the same manner.
- Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle; spread with remaining 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold up.
- Work quickly and gently so as not to overwork dough.
- Pat dough into rectangle 3/4-inch thick on floured surface.
- Cut into squares with a sharp chef's knife.
- Place on pan, 1 inch apart.
- Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
- Bake in center of hot oven about 15-20 minutes (about 12 minutes in convection), until golden brown and firm.
- Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

2 comments:

  1. Do you like these biscuits as much as the Grands? I really like the Grands for biscuits and gravy, but I've never been able to find a home made recipe that comes close to equaling them. Is it a different kind of taste that wouldn't go with gravy well? Thanks.

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  2. Sorry for the late reply, I definitely liked these more than grands...no chemical aftertaste whatsoever.

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