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A couple of weekends ago, I went to a photography retreat in Virginia. At this retreat we ate the most incredible and creative food I think I’ve ever eaten. All of it made by a 100% through-and-through self-taught home cook. Even though the retreat was all about immersing ourselves in photography, I found myself enjoying my time in the kitchen the most.
Some of my favorite moments from the weekend were spent on a bar stool peeking over the counter watching the cook, Matt, roll out pasta, stir ganache, craft beautiful grilled pizzas, and talk about his favorite homemade ice cream flavors. I hovered around the kitchen all weekend (driving him insane, I’m sure) asking questions about this recipe or that, listening to him talk about how he got into cooking such great food, and quizzing him on what sorts of unique flavors he’s been inspired to use in his recipes.
It was sort of like watching magic. You could tell by the way he handled the food that it was his craft, something he is really passionate about. And I found that to be incredibly inspiring. The more time I spent with him, the more inspired and excited to get back to my own kitchen I became.
Especially after Matt rocked my world with this biscuit recipe. (It’s worth noting here, that Matt isn’t claiming this recipe as his own creative genius. He highly recommends Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts, which is this recipe’s original source). I probably spent the majority of my time at the retreat talking about these biscuits… just ask anyone. They were that good.
What’s so special about this recipe?? What makes them different from my own biscuit recipe (that I posted less than two months ago, mind you)?
Well, for starters, the simplicity of the recipe. Seriously. It boggles my mind how ridiculously easy this recipe is. Unlike traditional biscuits, you actually make this in a food processor. Which means there is no overworking-the-dough anxiety (or am I the only one who suffers from that?). There is no rolling or cutting at all. You simply press the dough into a pan and then cut it into squares after it’s baked (which also means there are no scraps to worry about as a result of cutting out circle shapes).
And if that’s not enough to convince you that this is the best biscuit recipe on the planet, there’s also this…
These are by far and bar none the fluffiest, softest, silkiest (yes, I just used “silky” to describe the inside of a biscuit) that I’ve ever eaten. And not just when they’re fresh– as leftovers too!
Matt served these biscuits with cayenne spiced honey, and it was a genius pairing. Definitely give it a try! And don’t be worried about the spice– it’s very mild. It just gives the honey a delicious flavor boost.
I hope you’re as eager to try this recipe as I was! It’s absolutely a new staple and family favorite in our house. And as much as I loved my old biscuit recipe… I’m not sure I can ever go back!
Even though this post is all about how I’ve been inspired by conversation in the kitchen, you should check out Bon Appetit’s Out of the Kitchen Series for more great inspiration!
Yield: 18-20
Ingredients
3 cups self-rising flour
4 tablespoons cold butter
2 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Place the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse together until somewhat crumbly.
Add the heavy whipping cream and process on a low speed until a sticky dough forms (this won't take long at all).
Using generously floured hands, scoop the dough from the food processor and gently press onto a half size jelly roll pan or baking sheet*. Keep the dough quite thick, about 1 1/2 inches.
Bake for 20 minutes (the middle should feel set and the top should be golden brown).
Cut and serve warm with honey. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
*I also saw Matt use a baking dish. I don't personally have experience baking these biscuits in a baking dish, so I'm not sure if that alters the baking time by much or not. I'm planning to experiment with halving the recipe and baking it in a pie dish, and the cutting wedges like a scone... just an idea.
Also, check out BonAppetit.com‘s “OUT OF THE KITCHEN,” an exploration of the coolest food artisans in America, from spice blenders to knife makers to cider brewers. See how they mastered their crafts—and learn how to apply their knowledge at home.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bon Appetit. The opinions and text are all mine.
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For flaky layers, use cold butter. When you cut in the butter, you have coarse crumbs of butter coated with flour. When the biscuit bakes, the butter will melt, releasing steam and creating pockets of air. This makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside.
Just as important as the fat is the liquid used to make your biscuits. Our Buttermilk Biscuit recipe offers the choice of using milk or buttermilk. Buttermilk is known for making biscuits tender and adding a zippy tang, so we used that for this test.
Pillai became known in India as the 'Biscuit King' or 'Biscuit Baron'. He took over Nabisco's other Asian subsidiaries. Pillai then established links with Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel (BSN), the French food company, and by 1989 controlled six Asian companies worth over US$400 million.
White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast. If I'm using yeast I use King Arthur flours.
As the world's leading biscuit brand, Parle-G has become more than just a product; it represents cherished memories and a taste that transcends generations. With monthly production enough to cover the distance to the moon and back, Parle-G continues to hold a special place in the hearts and homes of millions.
Parle-G remains its bestseller though and according to the company, it is the largest-selling biscuit in the world. Parle has 130 factories in the country and 400 million Parle-G biscuits are baked every day. According to the BBC, it is available in 100 countries and 4,500 biscuits are consumed every second.
The heavy cream adds flavor to the biscuit by adding a little more fat and helps hydrate the dough. The extra fat in the heavy cream is helpful because buttermilk in stores is often “low-fat” buttermilk.
Buttermilk can produce better results when baking biscuits than using regular milk or cream. Buttermilk is acidic and when it is combined with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough to rise and gives the biscuits a light and flaky texture.
Buttermilk is used in biscuit-making for its acid and fat content. Its acidity works with the leaveners to help the dough rise, producing a taller and fluffier biscuit. Buttermilk also adds a subtle tang. Cream biscuits are made with heavy cream.
If you start asking around, any Southern chef, Southern Living Test Kitchen pro, or biscuit-making family member will swear by White Lily flour. Generations of bakers have claimed it as the secret to the perfect, flaky biscuit.
But if you chill your pan of biscuits in the fridge before baking, not only will the gluten relax (yielding more tender biscuits), the butter will harden up. And the longer it takes the butter to melt as the biscuits bake, the more chance they have to rise high and maintain their shape. So, chill... and chill.
The two keys to success in making the best biscuits are handling the dough as little as possible as well as using very cold solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard) and cold liquid. When the biscuits hit the oven, the cold liquid will start to evaporate creating steam which will help our biscuits get very tall.
Whether you're making round or square biscuits, be sure you're using a knife or biscuit cutter, and that you're not twisting as you cut. It's important to create a clean cut that won't smoosh those outside layers onto one another, as that will bind the layers together and inhibit the puffing that creates height.
Southern cooks have several tricks when it comes to making tender and delicious biscuits, from the cutters they use, to the type and amount of liquid incorporated, to the number of kneads required to turn out a perfect dough. The not-so-secret ingredient they rely upon is soft wheat flour.
My favorite was the middle batch, with 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder, but my wife thought this one was a little too dense. Conclusion: More baking powder makes the biscuit rise more (imagine that!).
Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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, which is this recipe’s original source). I probably spent the majority of my time at the retreat talking about these biscuits… just ask anyone. They were that good.
