Biscuit
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Rub the lard or dripping into the flour until well combined.
Mix in just enough water to form a dough that can be easily handled.
Shape and bake
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and pat it down to about ½ inch thick.
Cut the dough into small rounds.
Bake the rounds in the preheated oven until golden.
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 mixed with water.
- Lard or dripping
- Rubbed into the flour to add fat, creating tenderness and a flaky texture.
The step that matters
Mix in just enough water. Adding too much water develops gluten in the flour, making the biscuits tough rather than tender. Add water gradually until the dough just holds together.
“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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