I Just Made Biscuits for the 1st Time - Please Shoot Me

[NashVegas]

*sigh*

lumps of lead.

[SoCalDem]

1. Try again.. You will get the hang of them

The secret is to "be gentle" with them.. Mix ONLY till the ingredients are all together.. Roll out gently and don't knead or over mix..

Make sure your baking powder is fresh.. It will go flat.. I have had that happen before :)..
Chin up:)

[NashVegas]

2. I Violated ALL of Those Principles

I think the baking powder is over 10 years old, even.

They should sell it in MUCH smaller cans if you ask me.

[SoCalDem]

3. I know what you mean.. I throw out lots of it...

Every time I want to bake something that calls for it, I usually buy a new can.. There's a method to their madness.:evilgrin:

Actually , just get yourself some bisquick.. Their biscuit recipe on the back of the box is quite good, and unless they come out of a can that you whack on the counter or out of a freezer bag, YOU MADE them yourself :)

[areschild]

10. I'd go with the Bisquick.

You can make a lot of things with it. I always keep a box on hand.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Absolutely...

and maybe even find a low-gluten cake flour. It is essential to not extrude the gluten too much, and a low-gluten flour helps cover overmixing.

Lard is a better shortening than Crisco, btw, but try to find only a really good leaf lard. I throw in a little butter for taste.

I use the two-knife method of mixing, and don't roll, but drop them. Rolling is fine, though. I also add powdered milk, and sometimes instant potatoes.

A little cinnamon, not enough to actually taste, or paprika, perks them up.

Baking powder can be made at home with one part cream of tartar to two parts baking soda. You can substitute a few drops of lemon juice dropped in the mix for the cream of tartar. The point is to get the alkaline soda to react with an acid and make gas.

Always test the baking powder by dropping a little in some water and see if it fizzes.

It's easy once you get the knack.

(And until then, be happy with a ready supply of street hockey pucks)

[gator_in_Ontario]

11. leaf lard?

what is that? Should the gay community be notified?

[dbt]

5. Bisquick works VERY well.

That's what my beloved wife uses and she is the Biscuit Queen of the Universe! Her biscuits are so good that they don't need butter.

Feed your failures to the birds and do not despair. You should've seen my first attempt at fried chicken!

:bounce:
dbt

[NashVegas]

18. Bisquick is Not an Option

Even if it weren't that I use organic wheat-flour (regular white stuff, but ...), I'm trying to match my mom's. I'm going to have a chat with that woman. This morning.

[dbt]

21. Ah, Grasshopper, I respectfully suggest

That you consider forgetting about matching Mom's biscuits and instead focus on the joys that may be obtained from your own creations.

Use the roadmap that Mom may provide, but make the destination (and the journey) your own.

:hi:
dbt
(Pass the gravy, please...)

[NashVegas]

24. Would You Believe It?

I called her up shortly after that post.

The woman now uses frozen. Frozen!

Another ideal shot to hell.

[Booberdawg]

6. Bisquick

[ornotna]

7. I don't get it

I never have that problem. Are you wacking the can hard enough?

[Pithlet]

9. lol

I use the ones from the freezer, already formed. Just pluck them out of the bag, and into the oven they go. They're actually not bad.

[Le Taz Hot]

12. LOL!

Now THAT was funny!

Btw, another "Bisquick Queen" here. And yes, I DO kneed 8-10 times -- just like it says on the box and my "Bisquicks" are as light as a feather.

[Fridays Child]

8. Try drop biscuits...

Same as regular biscuits but no rolling and cutting. Just pour your liquid ingredient(s) into the center of your well-combined dry ingredients, mix lightly, and drop by the spoonful onto your pan. You can also drop the dough into bubbling soup or stew, put the lid on for about 12 to 15 minutes, and you have tasty dumplings.

PS I agree with the conversation above that fresh ingredients work best.

Good luck and keep trying. :)

[Bundbuster]

13. Would one of you Bisquit Queens marry me?

I kneed you

[trof]

14. frozen biscuits

If they are available in your area.
As good or better than what granny used to make.
Ga-ron-tee

[Norbert]

15. Instead of Bisquick, buy Jiffy Mix instead.

The product is about the same. The Jiffy Mix is less expensive because you don't pay for the advertising. I still use the Bisquick recipes though on the occasions I try baking anything.

[spinbaby]

16. Here's the basic bicuit method

And, yes, your baking powder should be reasonably fresh.

Preheat oven to 425°

Into a bowl:
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Stir this mixture with a whisk to distribute all ingredients evening.

Add:
1 stick of butter (1/4 pound) cut into small pieces. Do not add margarine, crisco, butterlike spread, oil, or anything but actual butter. The butter may be salted or unsalted.

Work the butter into the flour with your hands until there are no more big lumps of butter. Tiny lumps of butter (smaller than a pea) are fine.

Add:
3/4 cup of buttermilk

Stir quickly with your hand until the mixture just comes together. Do not knead.You may need to add just a bit more buttermilk, depending on your flour.

Let the mixture rest in the bowl for about 5 minutes (about the time it takes you to wash your hands, get out your wooden board, and find your biscuit cutter)

Flour the surface of a wooden cutting board lightly and pat the dough out about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into rounds with biscuit cutter. A real biscuit cutter with sharp edges works best but a tomato-paste can with the ends cut out works just fine, too. You can gather up the remaining dough, pat it out again, and cut a second round of biscuits.

Put the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet, brush them with melted butter (optional), and bake them for about 15 minutes or until they're browned nicely.

This is all really much easier than the instructions make it seem--I can have a batch of biscuits in the oven in about 10 minutes flat.

[NashVegas]

17. A Variation of That

via Betty Crocker is what I used; difference was 1/4 c veggie shortening (I did ponder butter, FWIW) and regular milk for buttermilk.


I used a pastry cutter for mixing, btw.

Ending up using half of the dough to rise a little and do cinnamon rolls. At least those weren't half bad. 30% maybe :)

[spinbaby]

23. I don't use veggie shortening

Horrible hydroginated stuff you don't want to put into your body. Besides, butter tastes better;-)

Milk works fine, but buttermilk (or yogurt) gives a more tender result. If you use milk instead of buttermilk, cut out the baking soda and up the baking powder to a tablespoon.

When I want to get really fancy, I roll out the biscuit dough, brush with melted butter and do a three-way fold like for puff pastry. Then I repeat the roll and butter three more times before I cut the biscuits. Makes an incredible layered biscuit.

[Lindacooks]

19. Try my baking lessons:

http://busycooks.about.com/library/archive/blmeasureTt.htm

Above is 'how to make biscuits'

How to Bake Email Classes:
http://busycooks.about.com/c/ec/1.htm

More How to Bake Email Classes:
http://busycooks.about.com/c/ec/14.htm

[nostamj]

20. mine came out great this year!

i do 'yeast' bread... you know, knead, rise, knead, rise, bake...

did this Xmas eve while my sister and her family were at another party. the house was full of that fresh bread smell when they got back... (some of those rolls never made it 'til morning...

[SayitAintSo]

22. Go to Bojangles ....

:)