Biscuit Making 101: A Beginner’s Guide

Making biscuits can sound like a daunting task, but with a bit of patience and the right techniques, anyone can whip up a batch of delicious, flaky biscuits. Whether you want to impress your friends and family with a homemade brunch, or just enjoy a cozy weekend breakfast at home, learning how to make biscuits is a great skill to have in your cooking arsenal.

Biscuits are a classic southern comfort food, often paired with savory dishes like fried chicken, gravy, and sausage. However, they are versatile enough to be enjoyed with sweet toppings like honey, jam, or butter. With a few simple ingredients, which you may already have in your kitchen, and a little bit of know-how, you can become a biscuit-making pro in no time!

Biscuits have always been a breakfast favorite of people all over the world. With their crispy and fluffy texture, they make for the perfect morning treat that can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk. Making biscuits from scratch may seem intimidating, but with the right recipe, equipment, and techniques, it can become an easy task and a rewarding experience. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make biscuits, which will surely impress your family and guests.

Gather the Ingredients and Equipment

The first step in making biscuits is to gather all the necessary ingredients and equipment. For this recipe, you will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, and milk. You will also need a baking sheet, parchment paper, a mixing bowl, a pastry blender or a fork, a measuring cup, and a rolling pin. Make sure to preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) before you start baking.

Measure and Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups (250g) of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix the dry ingredients together thoroughly using a whisk or a fork.

Blend in the Butter

Add 6 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. You can use a pastry blender or a fork to work the butter into the flour mixture. Keep blending until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse sand.

Add the Milk and Stir

Pour ¾ cups (180ml) of milk into the bowl and stir gently until the dough is formed. If you find that the dough is dry, you can add a little more milk. Be careful not to overwork the dough, or your biscuits will become tough.

Knead the Dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for one minute. This will help to activate the gluten in the dough and make the biscuits more tender.

Roll out the Dough

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a thickness of ½ inch (1.2 cm). You can use your hands to shape the dough into a circle or use a biscuit cutter to cut out individual biscuits.

Place the Biscuits on a Baking Sheet

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the biscuits on the sheet. Make sure to leave a little space between each biscuit to allow for rising.

Bake the Biscuits

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them so that they do not burn.

Remove from Oven and Serve

Once the biscuits are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. You can serve them with honey, jam, butter, or your favorite breakfast spread.

Extra Tips

To make your biscuits even more delicious, add some shredded cheese, herbs, or bacon to the dough before baking. You can also brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter before putting them in the oven for a richer flavor. Store any leftover biscuits in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Making biscuits at home is an excellent way to impress your family, friends, and guests. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be making delicious and fluffy biscuits in no time. So put on your apron, get your rolling pin, and let’s get baking!

Ingredients for Biscuits

Biscuits are simple to make, and that’s why they are versatile and easily adaptable to different flavors. The ingredients are possibly already in your pantry, and with minimal effort, you’ll have fresh, homemade biscuits to share with family and friends. In this section, we’ll discuss the core ingredients that provide the biscuits with their signature taste and texture.

Flour

Flour is the primary ingredient in biscuits. It provides structure, texture, and bulk, making sure that the dough holds up well during the baking process. We recommend using all-purpose flour as it strikes a balance between protein and gluten content, which is crucial for a good biscuit. While it’s possible to use pastry flour or cake flour, they contain less gluten, and the resulting biscuits may crumble or fall apart.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents used in biscuits that make them rise. Baking powder consists of baking soda, cream of tartar, and a drying agent. It reacts with the liquid in the dough, producing carbon dioxide, which helps the biscuits rise. On the other hand, baking soda requires an acid to activate. It’s best to use them both as they provide a balanced rise and delicious taste to biscuits.

Butter

Butter is the most common fat used in biscuits-making because it adds richness and flavor to the dough. Make sure to use unsalted, cold butter diced into small pieces to make the dough easier to work with. When cold butter is added to flour, it coats the flour particles and creates pockets of air that make the dough rise.

Salt

Salt is a flavor enhancer necessary for biscuits. It balances the sweetness in the dough and adds a savory taste. Use a coarse-ground kosher salt to make it easy for you to handle and distribute throughout the dough.

Sugar

Sugar is a sweetener that adds a subtle sweetness to the biscuits. It’s an optional ingredient; however, if you prefer your biscuits a bit sweeter, you might want to add a teaspoon or two to the dough.

Milk or Buttermilk

Milk or buttermilk is used to bring all the ingredients together and moisten the dough. Milk provides a mild flavor while buttermilk adds tanginess to the biscuits. We recommend using cold milk or buttermilk to keep the butter cold and keep the dough firm.

Egg

Some biscuit recipes call for an egg to be added to the dough. The egg helps the biscuit rise and provides richness and structure to the texture. If you like a more substantial and richer biscuit, you can add an egg to the dough.

Additional Ingredients

You can personalize your biscuits by adding a variety of ingredients to the recipe. For example, you can add cheese for savory biscuits or herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or chives. Furthermore, chocolate chips or cinnamon and sugar can be added for sweeter biscuits.

Biscuit Cutters

Biscuits are typically cut using biscuit cutters, which come in different shapes and sizes. Alternatively, you can use a round cookie cutter or a glass to cut your biscuits.

Measuring Tools

Measuring tools are critical when making biscuits as the correct measurements make the difference between a fantastic and mediocre biscuit. Use a kitchen scale, measuring cups, and measuring spoons to make sure you have the right amount of ingredients. Avoid guessing the amounts of ingredients as it will likely affect the taste and texture of your biscuits.

The Techniques for Preparing Biscuits

The techniques for preparing biscuits are essential because they can make or break the quality of biscuits. Here are five key techniques to keep in mind when making biscuits:

Cold ingredients are best when making biscuits because the butter will not melt quickly into the dough, which allows it to develop a flaky texture. When the dough’s aeration is maximum, the butter starts melting, creating pockets that cook quickly and form the flaky structure required for a perfect biscuit.

Proper mixing is one of the techniques that shouldn’t be ignored while making biscuits. You need to whisk the flour and wet ingredients lightly because overworking flour leads to gluten formation, resulting in a batter that is quite dense. For biscuits to flake in layers, they need proper mixing, which can only be achieved by light whisking and limited mixing.

Resting the dough is another method that makes your biscuits stand apart from the rest. Resting of the dough helps it to absorb all the liquid and give an excellent structure to the biscuits. You need to rest the dough for at least ten minutes in the refrigerator, which helps the butter solidify and reduces the gluten formation.

Using a biscuit cutter is another way to get perfect-shaped biscuits. The circular shaped cutters are the best for biscuit making. To keep the edges of the biscuit clean without sealing them, you need to push the cutter down and up again instead of twisting it. Folding the dough as it’s being cut to create new biscuits also produces uneven layers of dough.

The correct temperature of the oven is necessary to achieve golden, crisp biscuits. Preheat your oven at 425°Fahrenheit, then place your biscuits in it for 10-12 minutes to bake until golden brown. Biscuits baked at a hotter temperature cause them to burn, while a lower temperature does not give a crispy texture and instead gives a soft and undercooked biscuit.

In conclusion, these techniques are essential when making biscuits. Proper mixing, resting the dough, using a biscuit cutter, and setting the correct oven temperature can help create soft, flakey, and golden brown biscuits.

Time to Dig in!

Thanks for reading our biscuit-making guide! We hope it was helpful and got your mouth watering. Now it’s time to gather your ingredients, preheat that oven, and dive into some homemade biscuits. Don’t forget to experiment with different flavors and add-ins to make them your own. And remember, if your first batch doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t give up! Baking is all about trial and error. Come back soon for more fun and tasty cooking tips. Happy baking!