Tuesday, April 20, 2010

TWD: Sweet Cream Biscuits



Melissa at Love at First Bite chose this week's TWD recipe, Sweet Cream Biscuits. I really enjoy baking breakfast treats more than anything else. I don't think there is anything better than waking up (or, in my personal situation, waking other people up) to the smell of freshly baked blueberry muffins, or cinnamon scones, or coffee cake. It makes the day seem a little more special, right from the beginning.

These biscuits are simple to whip up, because there is no butter in the recipe, and therefore there is no need to cut butter into the flour. Flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cream - that's it. I rolled my dough to the 1/2 inch thickness that Dorie recommends, cut them with a 2" cutter, and froze them unbaked.

I know going in that certain baking activities are fraught with danger, so I can do the requisite hand-wringing ahead of time. The sugar may not carmelize. The custard may not thicken. The egg whites may get under whipped. The egg whites may get over whipped. But strangely, I had no idea until I read the P&Q that I should be worrying about whether my biscuits would rise. I suppose that any time I use baking powder I have a fleeting thought that maybe it's lost its magic, but I did not have any specific worry about my biscuits. So I blissfully mixed and cut and froze these just a few days after the April recipes were posted (i.e., well before the P&Q was up) and baked them one Sunday morning while we had friends visiting us from out of town.

And they rose like champs!


Everybody devoured these. They got eaten with, inter alia, butter, bacon, jam, and eggs (not all at the same time) and were universally adored.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I learned that I was really lucky that my biscuits rose the first time. Since they were such a hit when I made them, I decided to try them again to see if my success was just a fluke. Usually if there is baking trouble to be had, I will have it, and it felt much more natural for me to head into a recipe with an acute fear of failure. Second go-round I decided to make minis using my 1.5" cutters. And once again, they rose! (See proof at top of post).

One by one my bed-headed kids padded down the stairs and ate biscuits:


I pretty much spent the whole morning spreading butter or jelly on tiny biscuits. They couldn't get enough of them. These are a big hit around here, to put it mildly. I can only hope my biscuit-rising hot streak continues, because these are simple to make, light and flaky, delicious, and hugely popular with my family.

Thanks for the great pick, Melissa!

31 comments:

mike said...

Mini's. Now there's fantastic variation. I thought these "rose like champs" as well - I love your opening photograph. It belongs in a magazine on biscuits. And that's my favorite hairstyle, bedhead - so natural and honest. I think she wants some more . . . :)

natalia said...

Ciao ! I love your biscuits all of them ! I wish to have your luck !

Audrey said...

Oh, I think I saw that hairstyle in one of the magazines at the salon...

Look at your biscuits! They look perfect. I can't remember if I've ever made biscuits...don't think so, and if I did, they didn't look (or taste ... I can tell that just from looking) like these.

Emma said...

How dinky are these? They look pretty wonderful. I love the bedhead!

Cristine said...

Love the bedhead! Your biscuits look great!

Bella Baker said...

omg that pic of your daughter is priceless!!! Great job getting your biscuits to rise!! They look really yummy!!

Mary Ann said...

My kids loved these biscuits too, especially my son. He ate almost all of them by himself.
I love baking breakfast treats too and couldn't agree with you more.
Cute pj'ed girl! love the bedhead!

Melissa said...

You make them sound so easy! You must be a natural because yours look absolutely perfect! Glad your family enjoyed them so much and thanks for baking with me this week!

Leslie said...

I love that last photo! What a sleepy head!

I'm so glad you didn't experience biscuit angst! It's sometimes better not to know to be afraid. I psyche myself out when I should just go with it, just like you did.

TeaLady said...

They did rise beautifully. Lucky you. They were really really good.

Love the bed-head children. Oh, I miss those days.

Unknown said...

Whoo hoo! Nice biscuit work. Love the bed head too. I have no idea what my daughter is doing in her sleep, but sometimes she comes downstairs with her hair 3" off her head. It teases itself overnight!

Kayte said...

Cute picture of C in the a.m. I see her little biscuits spread out there...looking good. They really look good all nestled in those baskets, too. My kids are leading a biscuit-deprived life. I made them, but it's probably not a regular thing here when there are so many other nice things waiting to be baked. Oh, and I think if you are posing as a southern belle now, you pretty much have to have the biscuit thing down, right? As a Hoosier, I only have to have the fried apple biscuits down, which bear no resemblance to these kinds of biscuits as I can tell.

Anne said...

Love the kiddie shot and wow your biscuits really do look perfect. I think my son would love minis. I'll have to get on that right away (with a fresh can of baking powder!) I haven't been by in a while and I love the blog makeover, too.

Jeannette said...

Awww look at your bed-head beauty! :) Great looking biscuits!

Susan said...

What a darling "bedheaded" child! And, I thought those were minis in that first picture. Congrats on such beautiful biscuits!

Amber Marie said...

Breakfast treats are the best! These look great. I'm glad they rose for you.

Amber Marie said...

Breakfast treats are the best! These look great. I'm glad they rose for you.

Maria said...

We've made these a few times. Easy biscuits that taste divine. Yours look perfect!

The Blonde Duck said...

I love your new look. And biscuits. I haven't had biscuits in so long.

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

Love your little bed headed baby and the tiny biscuits. :) Glad these rose like champs for you!

Pamela said...

Oh, the beauty of bed head! Thanks for sharing that wonderful picture! I'm envious of those beautiful and tall biscuits. I need to try again!

Soy*Baby said...

They look wonderful. Glad you had a double success. Cutest picture of your daughter.

Katrina said...

That IS some fun bed head! ;)
I made 1 1/2 inch biscuits, too. I like them that small, albeit a little too poppable that way.

Deb in Hawaii said...

I am loving that "bed head"--so cute! The biscuits look delicious and maybe easy enough for me to make. ;-)

Anonymous said...

The minis are so cute! I didn't fret too much over these. They rose, probably not as high as some, but they were fluffy and delicious.

Flourchild said...

Oh gosh I had to giggle at your daughters hair and her expression on her face! Priceless! Im glad the biscuits turned out so good for you! they look so nice and fluffy. We ate butter and jam on ours. Im sooo glad my kids can spread,cut and do what ever they need to do to eat thier food!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you had good luck with the biscuits after freezing them! That's what I did and when mine didn't rise I was tempted to blame the freezer...guess I can't anymore :) Your biscuits are gorgeous!!

Love the bed head shot - she's so precious.

Kathleen said...

These sound just marvelous! I love that you made minis. Perfect!

Jessica said...

All of the biscuits, from the those nestled in the napkins to C's spread out with jam (lovingly applied by her mom?) on the table look so very tasty! Blackberry Farm has nothing on your biscuits!

vibi said...

Oooohh! lala! Love the new look! Pretty in Pink!

Also love the looks of those super high, super fluffy biscuits! Seems like I'm not the only one! LOL LOL ...this beautifull baby looks ready to defend those biscuits and perhaps has done it before, by the looks of her hair! LOL She is adorable!

The Food Librarian said...

Cathy, soooo cute! And the biscuits are cute too! I love how perfect they look. Round and pretty! - mary

 
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