buttermilk biscuits

These biscuits, made according to the recipe from Gourmet’s June 2005 issue, were good but not great. They were fluffy and soft, with a crisp outer crust, but they were not as flaky as I would prefer. I got much better results with the recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook (posted below).

Buttermilk Biscuits
From Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

4 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 sticks butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 c. buttermilk, plus more for brushing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.

Pour in the buttermilk; using a rubber spatula, fold buttermilk into the dough, working in all directions and incorporating crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, until dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured fingers, gently pat the dough into a round about 1 inch thick, pressing in any loose bits. Do not overwork the dough. Use a floured 2 1/4-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits as close together as possible.

Place the biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart on an unlined baking sheet. Generously brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the biscuits are golden and flecked with brown spots, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.