Biscuit
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no oven temperature. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point.
Prepare the dough
Set aside several tablespoons of flour for rolling.
Mix lard or Crisco into the flour until it resembles rolled cracker crumbs.
Gradually add cold water until a stiff dough forms.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and blisters form.
Shape and bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll the dough moderately thin and prick lightly with a fork to prevent blistering.
Bake until golden brown, being careful not to open the oven door too often.
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
- All-purpose flour
- Forms the structure of the dough once combined with liquid.
- Lard or crisco
- Shortens the flour with fat, keeping the biscuit tender and flaky.
- Cold water
- Hydrates the flour so the dough holds together without melting the fat.
- Baking soda
- Helps the biscuit rise and brown in the oven.
The step that matters
Mix lard or Crisco into the flour until it resembles rolled cracker crumbs. The fat must stay in distinct pieces rather than fully blending into the flour. As it melts in the oven it leaves pockets that create flakiness, while overmixing develops gluten and makes the biscuit tough.
“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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