02 October 2011

Happy Valley Biscuits


These country biscuits are delightful.  I try to make them at least once a week.  I adapted this recipe from the book Homemade Bread by the Food Editors of Farm Journal (the book has a very wide variety of recipes, kitsch photos, and a really campy vibe).  You may use wholemeal or white flour.  The wholemeal ones are more hearty and filling.  I think they are great on their own, but you might prefer them with a dab of gravy.  This recipe will give you about a dozen biscuits. 

Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C.
  • 1 cup flour (whole wheat or white)
  • 1/3 cup cornmeal (I use coarse cornmeal -- about the same coarseness as the cornmeal dusted on the bottoms of rolls and pizzas)
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt (you may omit this if you are on a low sodium diet)
  • 1/3 cup sunflower oil (you may substitute a different oil, if you like)
  • about 1/3 cup nondairy milk (I use soy, but any will do, really)

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Mix in the oil -- I like to mush it in with the back of a spoon until it is all worked in and the mixture clumps together like coarse meal or soft brown sugar.  Stir in the nondairy milk, but not all at once -- sometimes the dough needs a little more (this is especially true with whole wheat flour) or a little less than the full 1/3 cup and it's better to err on the dry side and add a little more liquid than to have to add more flour.  Ideally, your dough should be soft and not too tough and dry enough to not stick to the spoon or the sides of the bowl.

Once you have your dough ball, roll it out onto a floured surface and cut it into 12 squares and lay them on a non-greased baking tray.  Or for a more rustic look, you may simply flatten spoonfuls of it onto a non-greased baking tray. 

Pop them in the oven and bake at 400°F/200°C for about 10-12 minutes.  The tops should be a light golden brown.




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