Maryann’s Butter Crisp Biscuits

Making Beaten Biscuits

Strawberry stuffed biscuits

   These are just a sampling of the biscuit love that comes out of my kitchen.  I have learned so much from  all the biscuit makers I’ve interviewed in the book and film -- and I love teaching others.  If you come to Nashville and want to bake biscuits together, I do hold some Southern Biscuit baking classes for groups that visit Nashville,  you can click here to see my existing class schedule, or if you have group I can schedule something for you when you are in Nashville.

  But the key is to get your own recipe down.  Start with a simple basic recipe then go, or grow from there. the possibilities become endless. Here are a few tips.

                                        Tips

-Use low gluten flour for biscuit making.  That means 8 % or below. A soft winter wheat flour is best. Cake flour also works well.  In the South, many bakers use White Lily and Martha White.   If you use a bread flour : it is high in gluten and you’ll bake some fine hockey pucks.

-Self Rising Flour is best if you are beginning.  it already has your leavening agents in there, so you are ready to go, all you do is add a fat and a liquid.

If you use all purpose flour (and I do often) just remember for every two cups of flour add  2 tsp of baking powder and  1 tsp of baking soda and you’ll have nice fluffy biscuits.  I also add a dash of sugar and salt.

-Two cups of flour makes 12 big biscuits or 24 small biscuits.

-Don’t twist your biscuit cutter it seals the edges. Up and down..up and down.

                                        Basic Biscuit Recipe

               2 cups self rising flour

               1/4 cup fat (lard, crisco, or butter you choose)

               2/3 cup liquid (milk, skim milk, buttermilk, or cream)

cut fat into flour until it resembles course corn meal, then add the liquid of your choice.   Add it little by little until you moisten the flour and it starts to form a dough ball.  Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it about four times. Roll it out to 1/2 thick and cut your rounds.  place the biscuits on a greased pan ( I use butter) bake at 450 for 15 to 18 minutes or until brown.

Maryann’s strawberry biscuits

Maryann’s Marshmallow Sweet Potato Biscuits

Maryann’s wedding cake biscuits

                  Fat

Butter, lard,  Crisco, bacon grease, mayonnaise, oil, olive oil, duck fat, any fat!

....The fat you use in your biscuit, impacts the taste and texture.  Many times, I throw a batch of biscuits together using what I have in the cupboard or fridge.  Using what you have on hand is what Souther biscuit making is all about. It’s fun and is the best way to find your own perfect recipe. I alternate my fats all the time...to achieve different outcomes.

         Liquid

a word on the milk, buttermilk, cream..whatever liquid you use.  Add it a little at a time.  Sometimes you need more or less.  Why is that?  some say it the difference in brands of flour or the time of year.  Just never add it all at once.  If you do and it is too much..just add more flour until the dough looks right.  It is no big deal.  Mine is always a sticky mess before it becomes a beautiful dough.

Inquire about Maryann’s Southern Biscuit baking experience for you or your group.

orange cranberry  biscuits

Making the oldest biscuit of the South, Beaten biscuits

working the biscuit brake 

beaten  biscuits

teaching biscuit making