Southern Style Biscuits

From my research for the best flakey + fluffy biscuit, I’ve learned there is one reoccurring ingredient that contributes to the best outcome. The type of flour used.

In the South, where biscuits reign supreme in my opinion, the common denominator is the use of soft wheat flour. Hard wheat generally has a higher gluten (and protein) content. Soft wheat flour, on the other hand, is lower in gluten and high in starch.

Typically, bread flour is made entirely from hard wheat, cake flour is made entirely from soft wheat, and most other baked goods use a combination of flours. So if you’re looking for big, fluffy biscuits, look no further.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups soft wheat flour

• 1 Tbsp. baking powder

• 2 Tsp. granulated sugar

• 3/4 Tsp. salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/2 cup buttermilk*

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can make it by mixing 1/2 cup milk with either 1 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice or white vinegar

Directions:

Start off by slicing butter into squares and placing it in the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes.

While the butter freezes, gather the dry ingredients. Sift into a large bowl flour, baking powder, sugar + salt. Preheat oven to 425⁰.

Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut frozen butter into flour until even distributed + you have small chunks of butter throughout your dry mix. Now pour in milk + buttermilk + mix together.

Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface + with a floured rolling pin, roll out dough into an approximately 1 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Fold dough over itself, + roll out again 4-6 times, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent from sticking on the rolling pin + surface. Now roll dough out into an approximately 1 inch thick rectangle.

Using a biscuit cutter or small-mouth canning ring, press straight down into dough without twisting.

Place dough on a baking sheet + brush with buttermilk or milk (or use a spoon like I do because things like pastry brushes always go missing in my house). Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden.