Country Lovin’

As with any child, when I was little, the more I could get my hands in the better. Sunday biscuits fit that bill perfectly. I would never be one of those girls that couldn’t find a good husband – a girl that couldn’t make a biscuit would never find a good husband, or something like that.

My mom made biscuits with self rising flour, Crisco and milk. I have had 15 years of perfecting my biscuits and she would cringe if she knew that I have taken some liberties with her recipe, which makes a very good biscuit. Well actually my recipe is so far from her recipe, that I guess they aren’t even related. Sorry Mom.

I think technique is the key and I approach mine with scientific precision. If you deviate from my instructions and end up breaking a tooth on the rocks that come out of your oven, then you can’t sue me. You’ve been warned.

Country Biscuits (Printable Recipe)

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ¼ tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter flavored Crisco (buy the sticks)
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk (to add a tangy zip)
• ½ cup butter melted

• 2-3 cups all purpose flour

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

On a small cutting board, cut the Crisco into 1/8^th inch cubes and drop into the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. You want to see all the Crisco so don’t try to make them disappear.

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the milk. Start mixing from the center out. By the time you get to the outside of the bowl you should have a very sticky dough formed.

Sprinkle your work surface with ½ cup flour.

1. Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and then sprinkle an additional ½ cup flour onto the top of the dough. Using a light touch, pat or roll the dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. And then brush off the excess. Fold the dough in half.

2. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add additional flour to your work surface. Using a light touch, pat or roll the dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. And then brush off the excess. Fold the dough in half.

3. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add additional flour to your work surface.  Using a light touch, pat or roll the dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. And then brush off the excess. Fold the dough in half.

4. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 2 tablespoons of flour. Add additional flour to your work surface. Using a light touch, pat or roll the dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the top of the dough with 3-4 tablespoons of flour. And then brush off the excess, but not too much this time. Fold the dough in half. Using a light touch, pat or roll the dough out until it is ½ inch thick. 

Rolling them out four times and dusting in between will create those tender, lovely layers so that you can easily tear them open for buttering. You can now cut your biscuits.  I actually cut mine into 2 inch x 2 inch squares.  Why? Because the less you work your dough, the more tender your biscuits will be. And if you cut the biscuits into squares, you don’t have to re-roll the biscuits which means that the biscuits that are first will be as tender as the last.

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet with 1 inch room of space between.  Let the biscuits sit as the oven preheats to 425^oF. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack.  Brush the tops of the biscuits with butter and bake for another 5 minutes.

Serve with butter and jam.  Yummy!!