Grandmother Harris' Buttermilk Biscuits
Makes 6 biscuits
My favorite type of biscuit is one with lots of layers and is fluffy. So, I had to make my Great Grandmother's biscuit recipe. I wish that I had gotten to meet her because I think we would have cooked a lot together in the kitchen. To accompany my biscuit, I made a compound butter with herbs to generously spread on my hot biscuit and add another layer of flavor. Yum! I hope you get in the kitchen with your family and friends and make these biscuits. Create some memories together...Enjoy!
Ingredients for Biscuits
- 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour (351g)
- 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt (4g)
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda (3g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder (10g)
- 1 cup of cold buttermilk, plus 2 teaspoons for brushing on the biscuits before baking
- 1 stick of cold unsalted butter (131g), cubed
Ingredients for Herb Compound Butter
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of minced chives
- 2 tablespoons of minced parsley
- ½ teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon of freshly grounded black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
Directions for Bisquits
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper or use a small cast iron skillet.
- 2. Add the cubed butter to a small mixing bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- 3. Sift all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter in until it’s pea-size or use your hands.
- 4. Slowly drizzle buttermilk into the flour while incorporating it with a fork. The dough should be shaggy (it will be a lumpy texture but no dry flour pockets). Don’t over-mix the dough; that will create a flat and dense biscuit.
- 5. Turn out the dough into a lightly floured surface and knead twice to bring the dough together. Then, pat dough into a 8 x 4 rectangular shape - about 1 inch thick.
- 6. With the short side facing you, fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Using your bench scraper, start with the top of dough and fold into the center. Then, fold the bottom onto the top. (This method is called laminating your dough which creates all those flaky layers). Any loose bits, you can put on the top of the dough. The dough will be crumbly at first, but will come together with the folds.
- 7. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and use a rolling pin to shape in a 8 x 4 rectangle again. You will do this process three times.
- 8. The last fold of the dough, you want it to be 1 ½ inches thick and 8 x 4 rectangle.
- 9. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut in thirds to make 6 squares.
- 10. Place the biscuits on the prepared sheet or cast iron. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest.
- 11. Brush the biscuits with buttermilk and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown. Serve with the compound butter or whatever your heart desires. Enjoy!
Directions for Herb Compound Butter
- 1. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 2. Remove the butter from the bowl and put on plastic wrap. Shape into a log and roll up in the plastic wrap, twisting the end to secure; chill in the refrigerator, about 1 hour to firm up. You can store your butter in an airtight container for up to 1 week or wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.