Pie and Pastry Bible (100 page)

UNDERSTANDING

Any bleached all-purpose flour will be fine for these biscuits, but White Lily (see page 634) really makes the softest, lightest ones.

Sprinkling the biscuits with water before reheating them results in a crisp top and softer inside.

ANGEL BUTTER BISCUITS

W
hen biscuits are made with yeast instead of baking powder, they rise more and become lighter in texture, which accounts for the name
angel.
For this recipe, I have added yeast to my best butter biscuit recipe. The yeast gives the biscuits a lovely flavor and makes it possible to prepare this dough up to three days ahead. This makes them ideal to serve hot for breakfast, spread with butter and preserves.

EQUIPMENT

A 2½-inch scalloped round cutter and a cookie sheet or inverted half-size sheet pan, lined with parchment
^*

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 375°F., THEN 400°F. • BAKING TIME: 15 TO 20 MINUTES INTERNAL TEMPERATURE: 200°F. MAKES: NINE 2½- BY 2-INCH-HIGH BISCUITS
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
	VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
* Or White Lily regular flour (or 1 cups bleached all-purpose plus cup cake flour) plus 1 tablespoon baking powder and ¾ teaspoon salt.
2 large eggs	3 fluid ounces	4 ounces 113 grams (weighed in the shells)
warm water	2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons	•	•
sugar	3 tablespoons, divided	1.3 ounces	37.5 grams
SAF-Instant yeast (see page 654) or 1 package active dry yeast (not rapid rise) or compressed fresh yeast 2 teaspoons 2¼ teaspoons é tablespoon (packed)	0.25 ounce 0.25 ounce 0.75 ounce	7 grams	7 grams	21 grams
White Lily self-rising flour*	2 cups (dip and sweep method)	10 ounces	284 grams
unsalted butter, cut into small bits and chilled	6 tablespoons	3 ounces	85 grams
heavy cream or buttermilk (or a combination of the two)	¾ liquid cup	6 ounces 6.3 Ounces	174 grams 182 grams
Optional Topping: melted butter, cooled	1 tablespoon	0.5 ounce	14 grams
sugar	approx. 1 teaspoon	•	•

In a small nonreactive saucepan with a tight-fitting cover, place the eggs and add enough cold water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, cover tightly, and remove the pan from the heat. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Drain the eggs and run under cold water. Allow them to cool completely before peeling.

To proof the yeast: If using active dry or fresh (do not use hot water, or the yeast will die), in a small bowl, combine the water (ideally a tepid 100°F if using fresh yeast, a little warmer, 110°F., if using dry), ½ teaspoon of the sugar, and the yeast. If using fresh yeast, crumble it slightly as you add it. Set the mixture aside in a draft-free spot for 10 to 20 minutes. By this time, the mixture should be full of bubbles. (If not, the yeast is too old to be useful and you must start again with newer yeast.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and (remaining) sugar (and the baking powder and salt if not using self-rising flour). Add the butter and, with your
fingertips, work the bits into small pieces resembling coarse meal. (Or use an electric mixer on low speed to blend the butter into the flour mixture.)

Press the egg yolks through a fine strainer onto the flour mixture and whisk to distribute them evenly. (Reserve the whites for another use.) Mix in the cream and/or buttermilk and yeast mixture just until the flour is moistened, the dough starts to come together, and you can form it into a ball. The dough should be very soft and sticky. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to rise for about 1½ hours or until it becomes puffy but doesn’t quite double.

Gently pat down the dough, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.

When ready to bake, lightly flour a counter with all-purpose flour. Scrape the dough onto the counter and knead it a few times until it develops a little elasticity and feels smooth. Dust the dough lightly with all-purpose flour if necessary and pat or roll it ¾ inch thick.

Dip the cutter into all-purpose flour before each cut and cut cleanly through the dough, lifting out the cutter without twisting it so that the edges will be free for the maximum rise. For soft sides, place the biscuits almost touching (about ¼ inch apart) on the cookie sheet. For crisp sides, place the biscuits 1 inch apart. Knead the dough scraps, pat or roll out, and cut out more biscuits. Cover the biscuits with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for about 1hour or until 1 inch high.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level and place a bread pan half filled with very hot water on it before pre-heating.

Gently brush off any excess flour from the biscuits. If a crisp top is desired, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle lightly with the sugar.

Place the biscuits in the oven, raise the temperature to 400°F., and bake for 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375°F. and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden. Split the biscuits in half, preferably using a three-tined fork.

VARIATION

GINGER ANGEL BUTTER BISCUITS
See Ginger Butter Biscuits (page 354).

STORE

Airtight, room temperature, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months. To reheat frozen biscuits, sprinkle with water and bake in a preheated 300°F. oven for 15 minutes. A cake tester inserted in the center and removed will feel warm and the outside will be crunchy.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

See page 352.

UNDERSTANDING

See page 355.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

(With Variations)

W
hat could be better than tender/soft biscuits with crisp tops, filled with lightly whipped cream and fresh strawberries? For a variation, do try other berries or fruit, or a combination of the two, and the more intense passion or lemon curd whipped cream. For a less rich version, the lemon yogurt cream is lighter and very compatible with berries. And for a fabulous peach shortcake, make the ginger version of the biscuits and use the Cræme Fraîche or sour cream.

Serves: 6

1 recipe Butter Biscuits (page 353), or Angel Butter Biscuits (page 353)

Perfect Whipped Cream (page 551),
Passion Fruit Curd (page 570), or
Lemon Curd Cream (page 571), or
lightly sweetened Cræme Fraîche (page 558), or
Lemon Yogurt Cream (recipe follows)

STRAWBERRY FILLING

3 pints (1½ pounds/680 grams) strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar

Hull the strawberries, rinse, pat dry, and cut them in half, or quarter them if they are very large. Sprinkle the strawberries with the sugar and allow them to sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 6 hours refrigerated.

Drain the strawberries, reserving the syrup. You will have about ½ cup syrup. Place the syrup in a greased 4-cup heatproof glass measure and reduce it to
cup in a microwave on high power. (Or reduce in a saucepan on the stove, stirring frequently.)

MARIONBERRY FILLING

4 cups (1 pound/454 grams) frozen Marionberries (fresh blackberries or raspber- ries can be substituted), 2½ tablespoons sugar, and (optional) 2 tablespoons Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)

In a large bowl, place the Marionberries and sprinkle them with the sugar. Toss gently to coat evenly. Set the Marionberries aside to thaw, about 2 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate for several hours. Or, if using fresh berries, allow them to sit with the sugar for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Drain the berries thoroughly, reserving the syrup. There should be ½ cup of syrup; if less, allow them to sit longer. Place the syrup in a greased 4-cup heatproof glass measure and reduce it in a microwave on high power to
cup. (Or reduce in
a saucepan on the stove, stirring frequently.) When cool, add the optional Chambord.