Buttermilk Biscuits

There's something so special, so warm, so inviting about these butter-y buttermilk biscuits.

Their flaky crust, soft n spongy core, chewy but not tough, crisp just in the right spots. Baked to Golden perfection. Making them from a scratch is such a treat because the process doesn't take longer than a few minutes and then bake them for another 15 mins approx and you have your own butter-y biscuits to boast of. I loved splitting them in half, smothering them in the delicious Bacon Gravy, stuff them with crispy fried Chicken and top with some freshly made Slaw and I'm set! Ooh oohhh and this time I followed these up with Red velvet mini Bundts

I wouldn't dare to say you can get these right in the first time, nor the second because the texture can vary on the littlest of factors. But in the end this is the best recipe of all.

Ever since I had them a couple of years back when I was visiting the US, I have been meaning to make these Buttermilk biscuits. They are the personification of Southern food and figure in every Southern foodster's list if not top it! Here's the handy dandy recipe!

Note* My biscuits didn't puff up as much because the airhead that I am, I totally forgot adding in the baking soda. Please don't be like me or be like me cause these biscuits turned out damn delicious as they were, just didn't reach great heights! (no pun)

Serves: 10 biscuits

Time taken: 25-30 mins

Complexity: ***

You'll need

2 cups flour

100 gms salted butter, cut to pieces and chilled

3/4th cup of buttermilk- chilled (use 3/4 cup of milk + 1 tsp of vinegar instead of buttermilk)

1 1/2 tbsp of baking powder

1/2 tbsp of baking soda

Pinch of love

If you're using unsalted butter then use 1 tsp of salt

Method

Before starting, try and use flour after it has been refrigerated overnight so its cold to the touch.

Cut the stick of butter into small 1 cm cubes.

Preheat oven at 220C or 440F

In a bowl, take the flour and add in the baking powder

Mix it with a whisk so the baking powder and soda are combined well with the flour.

Next throw in the cold butter. You can also choose to grate the chilled butter if you find that easy to work with.

With clean hands, get in the bowl and start massaging the flour and butter. Don't take too long, just very quickly for about 40-50 seconds or so till they form a sand like texture. You can see my butter has started melting and the flour starts to clump, try to avoid that.

Make a well in the centre of the bowl,

Pour in your buttermilk, half first. Take a spatula and start combining the dough. Don't be too thorough at this point. We just want to make a bumpy lumpy dough. Add in the rest of the buttermilk. The dough will be sticky to touch.

On a working surface, dust some flour.

Transfer the dough on top of the flour,

Dip your hands in flour and pat the dough down roughly into a rectangular shape. Onto to the part which gives the biscuits its beautiful layers

Fold the third of the dough like so,

Fold the other third on it. Pat it down with your fingers. Dust some flour so the dough isn't too sticky.

Turn the rectangle lengthwise, and repeat the process. Fold a third and overlap with the other third. See those pretty layers!

Now start working the dough to flatten it out

It should look something like this.

Try n keep it about 1/2" thick.

Take a cookie cutter or a round bowl or a glass whatever's handy and cut out rounds from the dough. Don't twist the cutter while cutting the dough otherwise the biscuits will come out flat. Just go straight in and straight out.

Piece together the remaining dough and make biscuits of them as well but their texture will vary from the original ones and the layers wont be as distinct.

Brush these biscuits with some buttermilk before placing them in the oven for 12-15 mins till they become golden brown and crispy. The butter-y aroma in my kitchen was sinful! Butter does make everything better!

Gorgeous freshly baked buttery flaky goodness

Those layers!! 

Unfortunately due to the missing baking soda, they didn't rise but the texture was .... just look at this

Topped them off with some Bacon and Scallion gravy. Recipe coming up! 

Indulge!