Layered Southern Style Biscuits Food

SOUTHERN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.
• Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)
• Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

EASY TO MAKE LAYERED SOUTHERN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Place the butter in freezer for 10-15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt, mix well.
• Using a box grater, grate the hardened butter then add to flour mixture, mixing through. (By grating the butter, this eliminates the cutting the butter into the flour step).
• Add in the buttermilk and stir until the dough is moistened. Fold-out dough onto a lightly floured parchment sheet. Roll or with flour-dusted hands, pat dough out into a rectangle. Cut dough into thirds, then stack the dough to form 3 layers. Roll or pat out again and repeat the same process 2 more times.
• Roll or pat dough out again until about 3/4 inch thick and either cut into rectangles or using a 2 1/2 - 3 inch circle cutter, gently cut out biscuits. DO NOT TWIST cutter, simply press down firmly. ( You can gather scraps and roll out again to cut remaining biscuits, but they will not be as "perfect" as the first batch).
• Place the biscuit dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. For soft sides, place biscuits with sides touching, or for crispier edges place 1 - 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated 450°F oven for 10 - 15 minutes, or until golden.
• Best served same days as baked.

LAYERED BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar, and stir until well mixed; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add butter, and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is the size of peas. Add buttermilk, and mix with a spoon just until it forms a sticky dough.
• Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and bring dough together. Roll dough into an 8-by-11-by-3/4-inch rectangle, and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon sugar in the center section of the rectangle. Use a bench scraper or a spatula to lift the ends, folding the rectangle like a letter into thirds toward the center. Before folding the second end over, sprinkle another 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon sugar onto the opposite flap. Fold the second flap over. Give the dough a quarter turn, and repeat the rolling, sprinkling, and folding. Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Remove from refrigerator, and return to work surface. Roll to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle, and repeat sprinkling and folding method as in step 2 (when rolling out the second time, do not fold). Cut out with a 2 1/4-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle tops with remaining cinnamon sugar, and place in 500 degree oven for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Continue baking until biscuits begin to brown all over, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

EXTRA-FLAKY SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450° (500° if using a convection oven).
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
• Cut cold butter or shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry blender.
• (Mixture will resemble coarse crumbs, with no large chunks of butter.) If butter gets very soft at this point, refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.
• Add 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, stirring just to moisten all ingredients.
• Dough should be soft and moist; add remaining 1/4 cup as needed.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 10 times, or just untl dough holds together.
• Roll or pat dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle.
• With short side nearest you, spread top two-thirds of dough with 3 tablespoons soft butter, leaving bottom third, closest to you, unbuttered.
• Fold dough into thirds (like you would fold a letter) by pulling bottom third up over center and then pulling top third over middle.
• Turn dough so short side faces you.
• Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.
• In same manner, spread again with 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold letter style.
• Turn once more in the same manner.
• Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle; spread with remaining 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold up.
• Work quickly and gently so as not to overwork dough.
• Pat dough into rectangle 3/4-inch thick on floured surface.
• Cut into squares with a sharp chef's knife.
• Place on pan, 1 inch apart.
• Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
• Bake in center of hot oven about 20 minutes (about 12 minutes in convection), until golden brown and firm.
• Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

SOUTHERN-STYLE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl. Cut in butter until butter is the size of peas. Stir in 1 cup milk. Dough should be wet and sticky; if needed, stir in some of the remaining milk., Place remaining flour in a small bowl. Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup dipped in flour, remove 1/4 cup dough from bowl and drop into flour; gently turn to coat. Place in greased cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet., Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Brush with melted butter; serve warm.

LAYERED SOUTHERN STYLE BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450° (500° if using a convection oven). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Cut cold butter or shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry blender. (Mixture will resemble coarse crumbs, with no large chunks of butter.) If butter gets very soft at this point, refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, stirring just to moisten all ingredients. Dough should be soft and moist; add remaining 1/4 cup as needed. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead gently about 10 times, or just untl dough holds together. Roll or pat dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle. With short side nearest you, spread top two-thirds of dough with 3 tablespoons soft butter, leaving bottom third, closest to you, unbuttered. Fold dough into thirds (like you would fold a letter) by pulling bottom third up over center and then pulling top third over middle. Turn dough so short side faces you. Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle. In same manner, spread again with 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold letter style. Turn once more in the same manner. Pat into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle; spread with remaining 3 tablespoons soft butter and fold up. Work quickly and gently so as not to overwork dough. Pat dough into rectangle 3/4-inch thick on floured surface. Cut into squares with a sharp chef's knife. Place on pan, 1 inch apart. Lightly brush tops with melted butter. Bake in center of hot oven about 20 minutes (about 12 minutes in convection), until golden brown and firm. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.