Hankering for biscuits? Comin’ up! Cheap, and quick and easy. Now ain’t you the kitchen magician?! And here’s another trick: buy the discounted, soon-to-expire whipping cream at your grocery store and transform it into butter at a fraction of the cost. Add a pinch of salt, whip it till it thickens up and voilá: ‘artisanal’ butter.
INGREDIENTS
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 TBSP baking powder
1 TBSP salt
½ TSP baking soda
1 cup shortening
DIRECTIONS
Pulse the ingredients in a food processor just until blended – no more than about a half dozen pulses. Store mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer for up to three months.
And now the magic!
BAKING
Combine 3 cups of mix with 1 cup of milk or buttermilk*.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and slice into squares. (Sure, you can cut them into circles but that’s just more work and more handling of the dough.)
Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 425 degrees. Check on them around the 8 minute mark. They may need a minute or two more.
- *If you want, you can add in the measure of powdered milk or buttermilk to the mix prior. Be sure to double it so the quantities are correct, and make a note to add water to reconstitute the powdered milk when you’re whipping up a batch o’ biscuits.
Serve these warm with dollops of butter and gobs of jam. (If you prefer, fold in chopped herbs or shredded cheese before rolling out the dough.) You have enough mix left over to do this all again tomorrow!