Fluffy Biscuits

For many years, my ability to make biscuits depended on how well I could crack open a can of Pillsbury. But when we decided to start cutting out processed foods, I knew I'd have to start making my own biscuits.

I experimented with a dozen recipes but discarded each one. This one was too dry or that one tasted too much like baking powder. Or they didn't rise and looked like mini frisbees instead of biscuits.

So I came up with a recipe that worked for my family. And I learned the secret to making biscuits rise. Here it is : don't twist your biscuit cutter (or drinking glass or whatever you use). Just press gently down into the dough and lift up.

See, if you twist the cutter, you seal the edges of the dough. The dough then has to struggle to rise while baking and often just gives up. If you lift the biscuit cutter without twisting, you leave the dough open ended and it can soar!

Okay, so here's what you need:

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup white wheat flour
4 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
4 TBSP butter, cubed
1 cup milk
1 TBSP butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles crumb. Stir in the milk and gently combine.

The dough will be sticky, so flour your hands and a cutting board. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or drinking glass dipped in flour, cut out biscuits. Lift the biscuits with a spatula to a baking sheet. Gently press together any remaining dough scraps and cut into biscuits. Try not to overhandle the dough.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter.

See all the flaky layers in this fluffy biscuit? And did you notice how many times I used the word gently in the directions? Being gentle and not twisting the biscuit cutter will yield some pretty awesome biscuits!