Buttermilk Biscuits Food Processor

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Put flour, lard, sugar, salt, baking soda in a food processor and mix until it resembles coarse meal (usually, just a few quick pulses with the food processor will do).
• If you don't have a food processor use a fork and cut lard into ingredients until it's blended thoroughly.
• Then put flour in a mixing bowl and add buttermilk.
• Mix just until ingredients are blended.
• Don't overmix or handle dough very much or your biscuits will be tough.
• Pour dough on a floured surface and GENTLY pat down until it's about 3/4" thick.
• You'll have to flour your hands to pat it down so it won't stick to you.
• Then use a biscuit cutter to cut biscuits out and place in a buttered cast iron skillet or baking pan.
• Use your index finger to place a slight indention in the center of each biscuit.
• This prevents the center from rising faster than the edges.
• Coat tops of biscuits with melted butter or margarine and bake at 425 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.

QUICK FOOD PROCESSOR BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• Put the flour, baking powder and salt in the food processor. Pulse several times to mix.
• If your shortening is hard cut it up before dropping on the food processor. Pulse until shortening is in bits about the size of small peas.
• Add milk and pulse until dough comes together.
• Dump on to a floured board and knead for a minute or two.
• Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut dough with a floured biscuit cutter.
• Brush the biscuits with melted butter before baking on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes.

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 450°F.
• Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
• Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
• If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
• Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
• If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
• Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
• Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
• You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
• Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
• If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
• Do not overbake.
• Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
• The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
• I have found that a food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of overmixing.
• You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
• Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit.
• Note 2: You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month.
• When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS - FOOD PROCESSOR

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
• 2. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal. If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
• 3. Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet. Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
• 4. Gently pat the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
• 5. If you like soft sides, place the biscuits touching each other on a lightly greased cookie sheet. If you like crunchy sides, put them about 1 inch apart these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together. I brushed the biscuits with milk, and cracked some fresh black pepper on top. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes ( do not over bake )
• 6. Enjoy with sausage gravy, jam, honey or just a slather of butter.