Biscuits

Do you know how to make really good (and healthy) biscuits???

Here’s what we adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe! 

We usually double the recipe.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or a combination of white and wheat)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder (try to use Rumford’s non-aluminum variety)
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Sift all dry ingredients into a medium bowl.
3.  Work in butter with your finger tips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. (I use my Kitchenaid mixer w/ the wire whisk attachment.)
4.  Mix in buttermilk until just combined.
5.  Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured work surface. Quickly bring dough together and pat into a circle about 1” thick.
6.  Cut out 12 rounds with a floured biscuit cutter, gathering and patting out scraps as necessary.
7.  Arrange rounds on greased cookie sheet. Bake until cooked through and golden brown....10-15 minutes. Serve warm (or re-toasted in your toaster oven!).

NOTES:

1. For perfectly flaky biscuits, combine ingredients quickly and don’t overmix.
   
2. When dough comes together, don’t knead; pat it into a circle about 1” thick.
   
3. Dip the cutter into flour so it won’t stick, then press it straight into the dough without twisting. Lift straight up to avoid lopsided biscuits. (Children LOVE to do this part!)
4. Make a lot and freeze the extras.  They make a wonderful ready-made breakfast!
5. If you do not keep buttermilk on hand, it can easily be substituted by any of the following:

• sour milk
  
• the whey from yogurt
  
• milk with 1 Tbsp vinegar added for each 1 cup milk