Soda Biscuits
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point.
Prepare
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large bowl, mix the flour, shortening, salt, and baking powder thoroughly.
Do not knead the dough.
Shape and bake
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet.
Bake for about 5 minutes until golden brown.
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
What each ingredient does
- All-purpose flour
- Provides the main structure that holds the biscuits together as they bake.
- Shortening
- Adds fat that keeps the biscuits tender and separates the flour particles for a flaky texture.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the heat, causing the biscuits to rise and become light.
The step that matters
Do not knead the dough. Kneading develops gluten, the flour's stretchy protein network. Overworked dough bakes up tough and dense, while minimal handling keeps the biscuits soft and 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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