Lighter Than Air Buttermilk Biscuits Southern Living Food

OUR FAVORITE BUTTERMILK BISCUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Grate frozen butter using large holes of a box grater. Toss together grated butter and flour in a medium bowl. Chill 10 minutes.
• Make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk, and stir 15 times. Dough will be sticky.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly sprinkle flour over top of dough. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a ¾-inch-thick rectangle (about 9 x 5 inches). Fold dough in half so short ends meet. Repeat rolling and folding process 4 more times.
• Roll dough to ½-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 ½-inch floured round cutter, reshaping scraps and flouring as needed.
• Place dough rounds on a parchment paper-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475°F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter.

LIGHTER-THAN-AIR BUTTERMILK BISCUITS (SOUTHERN LIVING)

Steps:

• Cut 1/3 cup butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly; add buttermilk, stirring just until ingredients are moistened.
• Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface; knead 3 or 4 times.
• Pat or roll dough to 3/4-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 425* for 12 to 14 minutes. Brush biscuits with melted butter, if desired . Yield: 8 biscuits.

LIGHTER THAN LIGHT BUTTERMILK BISCUITS (WEIGHT WATCHER FRIENDLY)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a food processor to combine. scatter the butter and cream cheese over the top and continue to pulze until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk with a spatula until the dough comes together.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough gently until smooth, 8 10 times. Pat the dough into a 9: circle, about 3/4" thick.
• Using a floured cutter, stamp out 6 biscuits and arrange upside down on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough, pat into a 3/4" thick circle and stamp out the remaining 6 biscuits.
• Bake until the biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue to bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• Note: The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

LIGHTER BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
• Process for about 2 seconds.
• Drop the margarine pieces on top of the flour and process for about 8 seconds.
• The mixture will be the consistency of coarse crumbs.
• Do not overprocess.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
• Alternatively, cut the margarine into the flour using a pastry blade, 2 forks, or your fingertips.
• Stir the buttermilk into the dry ingredients with a fork just until combined.
• When the biscuit dough holds together, drop it by large spoonfuls onto the baking sheet.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are puffy and lightly browned.
• Serve them immediately.

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.