The Great Biscuit Experiment 03: Using Lard, Cake Flour & the Fold-Over Method

Well, folks. I'm happy with the results of this experiment. How pretty are these? They're itty bitty biscuits, about 1 1/2" in diameter. I used the lard I made last week and I have to say, that was very, very satisfying. You don't get a pork taste at all. All you get is a lovely, layered rise! The only thing I'd change about these is the amount of sugar. They were a tad too sweet for even me, the Sweet Tooth Queen.
I think the fold-over method (patting the dough out and then folding the dough onto itself several times) is interesting, but I don't think it's necessary. I got about the same amount of rise in my first buttermilk recipe that simply called for rolling out the dough. Also, I could not perceive any difference between using Cake flour and All-Purpose flour, so save your money, and just use what you have. It would be interesting to see if there is any difference when using King Arthur Flour (widely available out here on the West Coast) and White Lily Flour, the traditional "Southern" flour. I would certainly do this experiment, but White Lily is not what it used to be after Smuckers bought them out, or so I hear.


The Lee Brothers, the authors of this recipe, give additional recipe tips for making Lemon, Herbed, and Vanilla Buttermilk Biscuits. They all sound so good! I think I'll have to do the Vanilla ones. 

Lee Bros. Bird-head Buttermilk Biscuits

- makes about sixteen 2-inch round biscuits -

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour or 2 cups sifted bleached all-purpose flour, plus more for your work surface and hands *I used King Arthur unbleached cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar *I would use less sugar next time, maybe half.

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into several pieces

2 tablespoons cold lard or vegetable shortening, cut into several pieces

3/4 cup cold whole or lowfat buttermilk (preferably whole)

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork. Transfer to a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Add the butter and lard and pulse the mixture in 2-second increments until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces, about 5 pulses. (If you don't have a food processor, cut the fats into the dry ingredients in a bowl by mashing with a fork, a whisk, or a pastry blender; it will take about 3 minutes.)

3. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl, pour the buttermilk over it, and mix with the fork for about 1 minute, until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, knead with floured fingers once or twice, and pat it into a rectangle about 6 x 10 inches and 1 inch thick.

4. Fold the rightmost third of the rectangle over the center third and fold the left third on top. Turn the dough a quarter turn, pat it into a 6-x-10-inch rectangle, and fold it upon itself in thirds again. Repeat one more time, then pat the dough into a 6-x-10-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick.

5. Using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter (or an upside-down shot glass), cut the biscuits from the dough and place them about I'll inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops just begin to brown.

6. Serve the biscuits warm, with butter or eggs and bacon.