Last month when I made char siu bao, the recipe I used was mostly from The Daring Kitchen. I decided to join their bakers, and this was my first month. Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

The first thing to learn from this recipe is that apparently what America calls biscuits, the rest of the world calls scones. Strange. The second thing that only I learned, is that adding cheddar and parsley to the recipe makes biscuits that very strongly remind me of frozen/microwave spinach souffle, which I haven’t had in years but like to a weird degree.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons fresh baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons frozen grated butter (or a combination of lard and butter)
• 1/2 cup cold milk

To make cheddar/parsley biscuits, add:

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• an additional 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. This recipe makes very small batches, so if you don’t feel like doubling it you can get away with just using a toaster oven.

Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Sifting three times will prevent chunks, but more importantly in this case it will also help your biscuits stay light, fluffy, and airy.

Rub your frozen grated butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the butter is in small pieces resembling bread crumbs. Follow with the parsley and cheese as well, if using.

Add the milk and stir until just combined. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Fold the dough once or twice, gently.

Pat out to about 3/4″ thick.

Cut out biscuits with a well-floured biscuit cutter without twisting the cutter as you do so. Transfer biscuits to a parchment-lined pan. Repat the remaining dough to use up the scraps.

2" cutter vs 1"

Bake for 8-10 minutes. These rise surprisingly fast! Take them out when browned and the sides have set.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Because of the small batch size, this is a great recipe to play around with!

Basic Biscuits

From Daring Bakers.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons fresh baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons frozen grated butter (or a combination of lard and butter)
• 1/2 cup cold milk

To make cheddar/parsley biscuits, add:

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• an additional 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat  oven to 475 degrees.

Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Rub your frozen grated butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until the butter is in small pieces resembling bread crumbs. Stir in the parsley and cheese as well, if using. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Fold the dough once or twice, gently. Pat out to about 3/4″ thick. Cut out biscuits with a well-floured biscuit cutter without twisting the cutter as you do so. Transfer biscuits to a parchment-lined pan. Re-pat the remaining dough to use up the scraps.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, removing when browned and the sides have set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.