Biscuits Tried And True Food

TEST KITCHEN'S FAVORITE BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda for 30 seconds. Toss butter into dry mixture to evenly coat, then press between your fingers to create flower-petal shapes and return to bowl.
• Slowly drizzle buttermilk over flour-butter mixture (to evenly distribute) while stirring with a fork. Stop stirring when dough begins to form but mixture is still crumbly. Transfer to center of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather dough with your hands, pressing firmly to bind, and flatten it into a 6-by-10-inch rectangle. Lift parchment along a short end of dough and fold in half, forming a 6-by-5-inch rectangle. Turn dough 90 degrees; gently reflatten to 6 by 10 inches. Fold in half again and flatten slightly into a 6-inch square.
• To keep things easy, form the dough on the same tray it's baked on. Cut it into thirds in both directions with a large, sharp knife, to form 9 biscuits. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake until puffed, golden brown on top, and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottom, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel-lined basket; cover to keep warm. Serve with butter and jam.

DIGESTIVE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse flours, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a food processor to combine. Pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4Â cup milk; process until a dough forms. (If too dry, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it holds together when squeezed.) Wrap dough in plastic; flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse flours, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a food processor to combine. Pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup milk; process until a dough forms. (If too dry, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it holds together when squeezed.) Wrap dough in plastic; flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature until malleable but still firm, about 10 minutes. Roll out to a 9-by-10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, stamp out rounds. With the back of a knife, score tops in a crosshatch pattern. Whisk egg white with 1/2 teaspoon water; brush top of each biscuit with egg wash. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets; bake until firm and dry in centers and slightly darkened, 24 to 26 minutes. Let cool completely.

FLAKY BUTTERY BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter or line a baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a fork or 2 table knives, combine the butter and flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Slowly add the milk, stirring with a fork, to the desired consistency.
• For softer biscuits, drop 2 tablespoons of the dough onto the lined baking sheet. For firmer biscuits, turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and gently knead just to bring the dough together. Carefully roll out the dough about 3/4 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or sturdy glass, cut about 12 biscuits, rerolling any scraps. Place on the lined baking sheet. (The biscuits can be frozen at this point. Freeze on the baking sheet, then remove to a resealable container or plastic bag for easier storage.) Bake the biscuits for 13 to 15 minutes (add 3 to 4 additional minutes for frozen ones), until golden brown. Cool slightly and serve warm.