Beaten Biscuit
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the dough
In a bowl, mix flour, salt, lard, and water until very stiff.
Knead and beat the mixture until smooth and full of blisters.
Shape and bake
Cut the dough into desired shapes and prick with a fork.
Bake in a hot oven at 400°F (200°C), ensuring the bottom is hotter.
Maintain steady heat to prevent excessive blistering.
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
- Forms the structure of the dough once it is kneaded and beaten.
- Lard
- Adds fat that tenderises the dough and helps it become flaky and crisp.
- Water
- Hydrates the flour so the dough can be kneaded into a stiff, workable mass.
The step that matters
Knead and beat until full of blisters. Beating the stiff dough develops gluten and traps air, which creates the blisters and a light, crisp texture. Under-beating leaves the biscuit dense.
“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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