Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Biscuit Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g baking powder, fresh
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
- 180 ml whole milk, cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Celsius or 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt until thoroughly combined.
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the cold milk. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until the dough begins to come together in a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently fold the dough in half over itself 3 to 4 times to create internal flaky layers, handling it as little as possible.
Pat the dough down gently with your hands to an even 2.5 centimeter or 1 inch thickness.
Press a biscuit cutter straight down into the dough without twisting. Transfer the cut biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, placing them close together so their edges touch lightly.
Bake in the preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius or 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen tall and have deep golden brown tops.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the biscuits cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature is the absolute key to success in biscuit making. Cold butter creates steam pockets when it hits the hot oven, which directly translates to tall, flaky layers.
- If your kitchen is particularly warm, consider measuring out your butter cubes and flour, and placing them in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting.
- Placing the unbaked biscuits closely together on the baking sheet provides structural support, forcing them to rise straight up rather than spreading outward.
- For an extra golden finish, brush the tops of the unbaked biscuits lightly with additional milk or melted butter right before they go into the oven.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked or unbaked; if unbaked, bake directly from frozen adding 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: Warm in a 175 C or 350 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until heated through.
