Over the past holiday weekend, Ryan and I had the immense pleasure of spending time with Ryan's two younger brothers, Tyler and Erik, who were visiting Colorado from Iowa. Whether by playing soccer, walking around Denver or watching terribly bad movies, the boys made our 4th of July weekend a joy.
On the morning of the 4th, I woke up with the strong conviction that a full, homemade breakfast was in order...there was simply no other way to start off our day of independence festivities (a donut or bowl of cereal would have fallen terribly short). I had asked the boys the night before what they wanted for their breakfast meal, and all three of them replied "Biscuits" with no hesitation.
What I love most about cooking is the opportunity it affords me to feed a primal need while delivering a hefty dose of pleasure. We all need to eat, and we all want to eat well. I knew that I wasn't going to have many opportunities to cook for Ryan's brothers, and so I was intent on making a breakfast to remember...on making the best biscuits the boys had ever had. A high goal that required serious help.
On the morning of the 4th, I woke up with the strong conviction that a full, homemade breakfast was in order...there was simply no other way to start off our day of independence festivities (a donut or bowl of cereal would have fallen terribly short). I had asked the boys the night before what they wanted for their breakfast meal, and all three of them replied "Biscuits" with no hesitation.
What I love most about cooking is the opportunity it affords me to feed a primal need while delivering a hefty dose of pleasure. We all need to eat, and we all want to eat well. I knew that I wasn't going to have many opportunities to cook for Ryan's brothers, and so I was intent on making a breakfast to remember...on making the best biscuits the boys had ever had. A high goal that required serious help.
This recipe, like many of my favorites, was adapted from Cook's Illustrated. The recipes from these test kitchens are honed to perfection, and while sometimes requiring a slightly different or new approach in the kitchen, they always produce excellent results.
I found this recipe on Saturday evening, went to the grocery store to buy a container of buttermilk, and sat my laptop on my counter so I would be ready to go first thing in the morning. Not surprisingly, anticipation made me a light sleeper. I woke up an hour earlier than I had set my alarm, ready to dust my arms in flour and deliver a pan of biscuits from my oven. Much to my delight, the recipe was a joy to follow and each step had me exclaiming, "Yes! This is exactly the way it should be." I was in a baking groove, and I could feel success from the first measure of flour.
I found this recipe on Saturday evening, went to the grocery store to buy a container of buttermilk, and sat my laptop on my counter so I would be ready to go first thing in the morning. Not surprisingly, anticipation made me a light sleeper. I woke up an hour earlier than I had set my alarm, ready to dust my arms in flour and deliver a pan of biscuits from my oven. Much to my delight, the recipe was a joy to follow and each step had me exclaiming, "Yes! This is exactly the way it should be." I was in a baking groove, and I could feel success from the first measure of flour.
The food scientists at Cook's Illustrated had asked me to turn my oven to 500 degrees farenheit, which is no small request considering my small, non air-conditioned kitchen. But the early morning in Colorado delivers a cool breeze, and while my kitchen grew warm, I knew that a few minutes of an open window would dispel the heat.
But with the heat came the most tantelizing aroma of buttered dough, or rising biscuits. I pulled my nine inch cake pan from the oven and marveled at the lightly golden, oh-so-fluffy biscuits staring back at me. Immediately thoughts of strawberry jam, of lightly scrambled eggs, of melted cheese began to cloud my mind. There were so many possibilities for these jewels! And yet when I took my first bite, I stepped back and said, "No." These biscuits are perfect, perfect enough to be enjoyed all on their own.
But with the heat came the most tantelizing aroma of buttered dough, or rising biscuits. I pulled my nine inch cake pan from the oven and marveled at the lightly golden, oh-so-fluffy biscuits staring back at me. Immediately thoughts of strawberry jam, of lightly scrambled eggs, of melted cheese began to cloud my mind. There were so many possibilities for these jewels! And yet when I took my first bite, I stepped back and said, "No." These biscuits are perfect, perfect enough to be enjoyed all on their own.
Buttermilk Biscuits
*From Cook's Illustrated
2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs double-acting baking powder
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1.5 cups cold buttermilk, preferably low fat
To form and finish biscuits:
1 cup (5 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour, distributed in rimmed baking sheet
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray.
2. FOR THE DOUGH: In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients;pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to mediu bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredientsand stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).
3. TO FORM AND BAKE BISCUITS: Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free). Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds.
4. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour; gently shape dough into rough ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them.
5.Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel
*From Cook's Illustrated
2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs double-acting baking powder
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 Tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1.5 cups cold buttermilk, preferably low fat
To form and finish biscuits:
1 cup (5 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour, distributed in rimmed baking sheet
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray.
2. FOR THE DOUGH: In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients;pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to mediu bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredientsand stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).
3. TO FORM AND BAKE BISCUITS: Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free). Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds.
4. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour; gently shape dough into rough ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them.
5.Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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