Susan Spungens Angel Biscuits Food

ANGEL BISCUITS

Steps:

• Stir the warm water and honey in a small bowl until dissolved, then stir in the yeast; set aside until creamy or foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt in a large bowl.
• Add the cut-up butter to the flour mixture and work it in with your fingertips until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and buttermilk. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the flour is completely moistened and the dough looks like a shaggy ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Lightly brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate or 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet with melted butter. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and briefly knead three or four times until smooth. Pat until 1 inch thick; fold in half like a book and pat to 1 inch thick again. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat folding and patting two more times. Cut out rounds using a 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter (dip the cutter in flour if the dough is sticky). Gently knead the scraps together once to cut out more biscuits. You should have about 10. Place them close together in the pan. Cover and refrigerate until the biscuits rise and are cold and firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Brush the tops of the biscuits generously with melted butter. Bake until browned on top and firm in the spots where the biscuits meet, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush again with more melted butter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, then slide out.

TRISHA YEARWOOD'S ANGEL BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar.
• In a small bowl, combine the warm water with the yeast and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar; stir until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand until bubbles appear, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using your hands, mix the 1 cup cold butter into the flour, breaking the butter into small pebbles, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and the yeast mixture. Gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients. Keep mixing until a ball starts to form, then gently knead, 12 to 15 times, to create a smooth dough. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press out to 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick. Fold the dough in half, press again to 1- to 1 1/2-inches thick, and then fold again. Cut the dough using a 2- to 3-inch round biscuit cutter, depending personal preference. Brush the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with some of the melted butter. Place the biscuits in the skillet; brush the tops with melted butter.
• Bake until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes, depending on size. Brush again with melted butter and serve immediately.

SUSAN SPUNGEN'S BBQ SAUCE AND GRILLED CHICKEN RECIPE (FROM LIBBY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onions and garlic; cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 2 hours.

PEANUT SHORTBREAD WITH HONEYCOMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal pan, and line with parchment paper, leaving plenty of overhang on the long sides.
• Make the cookie layer: Combine 1 cup butter, the light brown sugar and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add vanilla and salt; beat to combine.
• Add 2 1/2 cups flour and all peanuts, and beat until crumbly. Transfer the dough to the pan. Using floured hands, pat out the dough evenly but lightly, without compacting. Prick surface all over with a floured fork, and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Bake until firm at the center and golden brown all over, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, set pan on a wire rack, and cool completely.
• Prepare the honeycomb layer: Have a large metal bowl, a whisk, the measured baking soda and the baked peanut cookie layer ready by the stove. In a wide, shallow saucepan, combine granulated sugar, honey and 1/4 cup water, and whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, gently swirling the pan without stirring, and using a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan. Clip on a candy thermometer, and cook the mixture until the thermometer reads 300 degrees, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Quickly and carefully pour and scrape the honey mixture into the metal bowl, then immediately whisk in the baking soda. (The mixture will puff up quite a bit.) Briefly whisk to dissolve the baking soda, but don't overbeat. Immediately pour the hot mixture on top of the peanut cookie layer. Aim to cover the shortbread while pouring, then tip the pan around a little to distribute the honeycomb as much as possible. (Resist the urge to spread it out with a spatula, which will knock the air out of the honeycomb, making it hard instead of airy.) Cool completely. Run a small sharp knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Using the overhanging parchment, lift and transfer to a work surface.
• Use the point of a small, sharp knife to break the cookie into 2- to 3-inch shards and arrange them on a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet.
• In a metal bowl set over a small saucepan filled with an inch of simmering water, combine the dark chocolate and the shortening, and stir until smooth and melted. Remove from heat. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave instead: Transfer the chocolate and shortening to a microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk to combine, then heat in 20-second increments, whisking between each, until melted.)
• Using a small spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the cookie shards. Sprinkle with sea salt. Pop into the freezer to harden the chocolate, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

SUSAN SPUNGEN'S DEVILED EGGS

Steps:

• Place eggs in a saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and cover; let stand 13 minutes. Drain, and place in cold water until cool. Peel eggs, and slice in half lengthwise; separate the yolks from the whites. Trim curve off whites so they won't wobble. Set aside.
• Place yolks in a sieve set over a medium bowl; press through with a spoon. Mix in mustard and mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper. Fill egg-white halves with yolk mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 4 hours. Before serving, garnish each with either parsley, paprika, or poppy seeds.

ABSTRACT ART COOKIES

Steps:

• Prepare the glaze: Add box of confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons warm water to a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to combine well, slowly adding water as needed to achieve the desired consistency. You should have 2 cups of glaze. Test the glaze on a cookie as you go: If it doesn't spread out on its own to a smooth finish within 10 seconds, it is too thick and needs more water. If it runs off the edge of the cookie, it's too thin and needs more confectioners' sugar.
• Let glaze sit, tightly covered until ready to use, stirring occasionally. The glaze will keep for at least a week in a small airtight container like a glass jar.
• Decorate the cookies: Pour the glaze into a medium bowl. Holding a cookie by the edges, with the top-side down, dip into the glaze, moving the cookie around a bit to make sure the glaze coats the whole surface. Gently shake the cookie from side to side to let the excess drip off.
• Use a small offset spatula to stop the flow of icing, gently scrape the cookie against edge of bowl, and flip the cookie over. Use the spatula to spread the icing to pop any air bubbles, and make sure it goes all the way to the edges. It should quickly smooth out on its own. If not, thin out the glaze a bit until it does. Use your fingers to wipe away any icing on the outside edges.
• Place on a cooling rack set over a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Coat cookies a few at a time. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle the cookies as desired with the pistachios, raspberries, rose petals and pomegranate seeds. Repeat until all the cookies are coated and decorated.
• Scoop out 1/4 cup of the remaining cookie glaze and transfer to a small bowl. Add the pomegranate juice and 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (which will thicken it). Using a small spoon, drizzle the pink icing all over the cookies. Let dry completely. Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days, or up to 1 week without the pomegranate seeds.

SUSAN SPUNGEN'S BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 2 hours.