Why it works: Flour and potato are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,355 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Potato Biscuit
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderately hot oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the dough
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Cut or rub the cold shortening into the flour mixture.
Rub the mashed potato into the flour mixture.
Add just enough cold liquid to make the mixture cling together; do not knead.
Shape and bake
Place the dough on a floured board and roll it to ⅓ inch thick.
Cut into rounds and place in lightly floured biscuit tins.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C).
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Flour + potatotop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,355 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Forms the structure that holds the biscuits together as they bake.
- Mashed potato
- Adds moisture and a tender crumb to the dough.
- Shortening
- Coats flour particles to keep the biscuits tender and flaky.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas as it reacts with moisture and heat, so the biscuits rise.
The step that matters
Add just enough cold liquid; do not knead. Too much liquid or kneading develops gluten, making the biscuits tough. Mixing only until the dough clings keeps them tender.
“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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