I found a couple of recipes online for biscuits and since I’ve taken to making pie crusts with lard as shortening, I thought I’d try biscuits with lard instead of butter. Ended up tossing half the batch. Next time, definitely butter.
I think buttermilk biscuits would also be good to try since buttermilk has more acid than normal milk and I think this causes them to react more strongly with the alkaline ingredient in the baking powder (probably sodium bicarbonate like normal but I haven’t checked the stuff I have) to produce more bubbles and end up lighter and fluffier. That’s all just speculation, though.
From Allrecipes.com
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 1 egg
* 2/3 cup milk
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg with milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
2. Turn onto a well-floured surface; knead 20 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Biscuits Recipe from JoyofBaking.com
Preheat oven
to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry blender or two knives). Add milk and slightly beaten egg and stir until just combined. (The texture should be sticky, moist and lumpy.)
Place mixture on a lightly floured surface. Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough gently until it comes together and is a smooth dough.
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Cut out biscuits with a round cookie cutter. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg and milk and bake for about 10 – 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the biscuit comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter.
Makes about 12 – 3 inch (7.5 cm) biscuits.
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar (optional)
1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Topping:
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
