pie in the sky

The title of this post may be a little bit misleading. Pie is not something I think is difficult to make. You can make a pie with a decent crust, and it will taste really great because the filling makes that up for you. The crust doesn't have to be WOW-fantastic, but of course that never hurts.

Ever since I was little, I have wanted to make the perfect biscuits. But I never found a recipe that pleased me. All of the attention biscuits get seems to be an argument over shortening or butter (or both), but the actual recipe never changes much. No matter how many times I made them and how many times I tried new recipes, they always tasted about the same--bland, unimpressive, and dry. Even Alton Brown's biscuits failed me! It was infinitely frustrating that I couldn't even make a biscuit as good as a fast food restaurant, much less one better than a place like Ria's Bluebird here in Atlanta. (By the way, Ria's has the best biscuits in town, hands-down.) The fact that a great biscuit recipe is hard to come by, I think, is highlighted by the fact that the chain of restaurants here in town called The Flying Biscuit doesn't even have that great of biscuits. Disappointing.

So, biscuits have always been my "pie in the sky". Other people have it, but I never will. It seemed like an art lost between my generation's parents and their grandparents. Their grandma always made great biscuits, but with fast food, Bisquick, and Pillsbury taking over, the art was lost to most.

Finally I have found a recipe that I can honestly say I think is as good, if not better, than any I've had in a restaurant! Finally!! I owe Shirley Corriher a big one. Alexandra convinced me to buy Shirley's book, BakeWise. I was dubious at first. It looked overstuffed, which is always ominous for a cookbook. However, the more I read it, the more impressed I become. I recommend this book for sure! The best thing about this recipe? You don't roll out the biscuits... saves a huge headache.

On to her recipe for biscuits!

Southern Biscuits
2c (9oz) White Lily self-rising flour
1/4c sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4c shortening
2/3c heavy cream
1c buttermilk (more if not using White Lily self-rising flour)
1c plain all-purpose flour, for shaping
3 tbs melted butter, for brushing
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Notes
#1 rule: Do Not Overmix!
#2: her recipe calls for 1/4c of sugar, but I don't think it needs it.
#3: White Lily self-rising flour was used here; it's all over the South, and with its lower protein content, it makes heavenly biscuits. You will need to use more buttermilk if you can't get a hold of it.
#4: Do NOT just scoop the flour out of the bag! This is the number one no-no. You can potentially end up with twice the amount of flour called for. If you have a scale, use it. If you don't, consider buying one. Otherwise, either sift the flour and then measure it (leveling off with a knife), or fluff the flour up inside the bag by scooping and dumping it out repeatedly, and then pour the flour into your measuring cup. This will ensure a light result.

Preheat the oven to 425F and arrange a rack in your oven 1/3 of the way from the bottom. Spray a 8- or 9-in round cake pan with non-stick spray. (Smaller is better; your biscuits will have less room to spread out while rising, which means taller biscuits.)

In a large mixing bowl, mix the self-rising flour, salt, and sugar if you're using it. I like to use a whisk for this to make sure it is distributed evenly. Work the shortening in with your fingers until the largest lumps are pea-sized. Very gently stir the cream in, and then add the buttermilk, stirring until the mixture resembles cottage cheese. It should be wet, but not soupy. Do not overmix! You will likely need more buttermilk if you aren't using White Lily; I found 1c was perfect.

Spread the regular flour out into a plate. With a medium ice-cream scoop (1 7/8" diameter) or spoon, place a few scoops of dough spaced far apart in the flour. Cover the tops of the mounds with flour, and rotate to cover well. Gingerly shape it into a disc, and place it in the pan. Repeat, placing the biscuits next to one another, scrunched up against the next until all of the dough is used.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Brush with lots of butter, invert them onto a plate, and then flip them back over. Cut with a knife or spatula. Eat them right away!