Baking-powder Biscuits and Bread
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a good hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the dough
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir thoroughly.
Add the bacon fat and mix again.
Quickly add enough cold water to form a smooth but not stiff batter. Mix as little as possible; do not knead.
Bake
Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake in a hot oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, until done.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Provides the structure that holds the biscuits together as they bake.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas when heated, making the biscuits rise and become light.
- Bacon fat
- Stays solid when cold and melts in the oven, creating flaky layers and tenderness.
- Cold water
- Hydrates the flour to form a batter while keeping the fat cold and the texture tender.
The step that matters
Mix as little as possible. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, making the biscuits tough and dense instead of tender. Keeping the fat cold and handling the dough minimally preserves flaky layers and good rise.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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