Beaten Biscuit
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a very quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix the flour, lard, and salt until well combined.
Gradually add the ice water and mix until a dough forms.
Knead
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 30 minutes.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Bake the biscuits 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 gluten network that gives the dough its structure and body.
- Lard
- Fat that coats flour particles, shortening the dough and adding tenderness and richness.
- Ice water
- Hydrates the flour to form dough while staying cold, keeping the fat from melting early.
The step that matters
Knead the dough for the full 30 minutes. Long kneading works the flour's gluten into strong, elastic strands. This makes the dough smooth and firm, which gives the baked biscuit its dense, blistered, crisp character. Stopping early leaves the dough weaker and the texture different.
“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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