Food, Decor, Kids: Angel Biscuits

Heavenly Angel Biscuits

biscuit photo Food-decor-kids.blogspot.com

Angel Biscuits are just like their name sounds, light and fluffy and heavenly! They take a little more time to make than the canned variety or making them from a mix, but they are so good that every once in a while I just have to have some Angel Biscuits!

My grandparents owned a restaurant, and this is my Grandmother's recipe. She always made everything from scratch with fresh ingredients and love. We serve them with real butter, jelly, jam, honey, and Maple Syrup for everyone to choose their favorite topping. Enjoy!

Image: Angel Biscuits by Bordecia34, available at Flickr here.

Ingredients

1 pkg. active dry yeast, (or 2 tsp.)
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups buttermilk*
5 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup lard or shortening, chilled**
1 tablespoon melted butter

*You can substitute 1 cup sour cream mixed with 1 cup milk.
**Lard makes better biscuits.

Directions for Angel Biscuits

Make sure Buttermilk or sour cream and milk mixture is warm before beginning or the yeast won't rise properly.

Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in warmed buttermilk.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir well.

Work 1/2 the chilled shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Work in the rest until it resembles large peas.

Stir buttermilk and yeast mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended; do not overmix.

On a clean surface dusted lightly with flour, turn out dough and knead 6 to 8 times, patting together lightly into a flattened circle.

Roll circle out 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and cut using a floured glass or a 3 inch biscuit cutter. Dip in flour between each cut.

Arrange biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet; leave 1/3 inch between for softer sided biscuits or 1 inch for more crisp sided biscuits.

Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, or about 45 minutes. Start heating oven about 10 minutes before the rising is done.

Bake at 450°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush with melted butter before serving.

You can also freeze the dough for up to a month before baking.