Making Biscuits

What are QUICK BREADS? Quick breads are LEAVENED by agents that allow for IMMEDIATE baking NOT leavened by yeast Examples: –Biscuits –Muffins –Pancakes & Waffles –Fruit/Nut Loaves –Cakes –Cookies

Quick breads are made by: The BISCUIT method The MUFFIN method The CONVENTIONAL or STANDARD method

The BISCUIT Method Makes one basic type of bread –Biscuits –Scones –Shortcakes Characterized by: –Delicate texture –Crisp but tender crust –Inside: creamy white slightly steamy peels apart in wafer-thin layers

Basic Facts about the Biscuit Method A solid fat is added to the dry ingredients BEFORE the liquids are mixed in Use a higher ratio of flour to liquid –Makes a dough, not a batter Can be either ROLLED or DROPPED, depending on the amount of liquid in the recipe Drop biscuits require more LIQUID

The BISCUIT Method 1.Measure all ingredients accurately. 2.Sift the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. 3.Cut the fat into the flour until the particles are the size of peas or coarse bread crumbs. 4.Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. 5.Add the liquids all at once. 6.Using a fork, mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened.

Why do we cut in fat? Dry ingredients for biscuits should look like COARSE CORNMEAL before liquid ingredients are added. This technique disperses fine fat particles in the dough During baking, the fat melts between layers of flour, and its liquid content turns to steam, helping with leavening

What does it mean to KNEAD biscuit dough? KNEADING: to work and press the dough with hands Rolled biscuit dough should be kneaded VERY LITTLE! –Gently, 8 to 10 times… and that’s IT –You want the dough to be SOFT and stick to itself, not the bowl

What happens if we OVERMIX? EXTERIOR: –Rounded top and rough crust INTERIOR: –Tough and compact

Cutting Biscuits After the dough is kneaded, ROLL it out using a rolling pin Roll the dough to a thickness of ½ to ¾ in. Cut with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a beverage glass

BAKING Biscuits Biscuits bake at a high temperature: –375° to 475 °F Make sure to REDUCE the oven temperature by 25 °F if you use a dark- colored metal pan! –Keeps the bottom from becoming black

To reduce fat content… You shouldn’t use substitutes for butter/shortening in a biscuit recipe –It will greatly affect the final result! INSTEAD: use fat-free milk instead of whole milk to lower the fat content of biscuits