Now, back to the biscuits, I make regular biscuits just like my mother taught me when I was just a teenager at home. I am not sure a lot of people make homemade biscuits now days though with all of the canned (yuck) and frozen pre-made biscuits. I must admit that the frozen ones made by Pillsbury are very good, but are so expensive. The canned ones, I am not so fond of, but they are less expensive...there's a reason for that.
Biscuits, like cornbread, meatloaf and potato salad, are something people can really mess up also. Some folks should stick to the frozen variety. These are angel biscuits, which are biscuits that have yeast in them. They are sort of a cross between a yeast roll and a biscuit. They are wonderful for ham and biscuits, for dinner, or really anytime you would serve biscuits. These are made by caterers for events where they have ordered biscuits, because they can be made up ahead of time. The main reason I like to make them is that they make a big batch of dough and you can bake just what you need a few at a time. They will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. I have tried several recipes for angel biscuits and this one is the best and the one I have finally settled on. Here is what you will need:
All Purpose flour (I prefer White Lily), buttermilk, yeast, Crisco, baking powder, butter, salt, baking soda, and sugar (which I left out of the picture for some reason)
In a glass bowl mix the yeast with 1/2 cup warm water. The water should not be over 110 degrees. If its too hot it will kill your yeast. Just warm tap water is good. Set aside while you mix the other ingredients and give the yeast time to activate. It will bubble some. 
Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder until well combined. 
With a pastry blender cut in the Crisco until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add in the yeast mixture and the warmed buttermilk. I just put the 2 cups buttermilk in the microwave for about a minute to warm it. Once the dry ingredients are all moistened, cover the bowl and chill for about an hour. You can make these up the night before if you are having them for breakfast.
Turn the dough out on a heavily floured surface and knead about 5 times. Form into a flat ball. Flour your rolling pin and roll to 1/2 inch thickness. I only used half of my dough mixture and saved the other half for another day this week. 
Dip a biscuit cutter in flour and cut the biscuits getting as many as you can out of the first rolling. If you cut right on the edge of the dough so that there isn't any dough left on the edges the biscuits will come out cleaner. Take the remaining remnants and roll back together and cut the rest. Handle the dough as little as possible. It makes the biscuits dense and tough if you over handle the dough. 
In a 9"x13" baking dish melt 1/2 stick of butter. Place the cut biscuits in butter, then roll them over to coat both sides with butter. Place them in a preheated 450 degree oven for 12-13 minutes. They should be slightly browned on top. Remove from oven and serve immediately. I only baked 1/2 of the recipe, but if you bake the whole recipe, you will need two 9"x13" baking pans and 1/2 stick of butter for each pan. 
These are great with just butter or a slice of country ham! 
Or some delicious homemade jelly!
Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
2 cups buttermilk
butter for greasing pans (1/2 stick per pan)
How many biscuits do you generally get from this recipe. I see 9 in the picture and just wondered if that was the total for 1/2 the recipe as we have 8 people in our family.
ReplyDeleteAnother tip I learned from another blog mom is to pat the dough into a square/rectangle and use a pizza wheel to cut biscuits. If you don't mind the square shape there is no need to reshape the dough and do it again.
Jeri, I got 12 out of 1/2 of the recipe. The picture just cut off the other three. If you roll all of the recipe you will get about 2 dozen biscuits. You could square them up and cut them with a pizza cutter. I have seen that done on Foodtv. It would keep you from handling the dough too much. I cut my dumplings with a pizza cutter and it works great. Thank you for your comments! Hope you try these. Your family will love them.
DeleteCanou bread flour or self rising flour
DeleteCan you use self rising flour or bread flour
DeleteNot self rising since these have yeast in them. You could use bread flour, but it is not recommended for best results. Bread flour will produce a heavier and chewier bread and since these are biscuits, you usually wan them light and more airy.
DeleteCould these be frozen before baking?
ReplyDeleteThese could be cut out and then placed on cookie sheets and frozen. Once frozen, you can take them off the sheet and put in Ziploc bags.
ReplyDeleteWould using a pizza cutter make the biscuits not rise from the sealed edges?
ReplyDeletethat's a really good question...you know,when you push down on the cutter, whatever it is, don't "swirl" it around or you'll seal edges and dough doesn't rise as well...so, what about the pizza cutter ?
DeleteThis may be a stupid question, but, do you mix it after you add the buttermilk and yeast or do you just let the dry ingredients absorb the liquid?
ReplyDeleteyou mix it
DeleteThat was a good question. I was wondering the same thing.
DeleteYay! Another Purity user!
ReplyDeleteThanks; I am going to try!
ReplyDeleteThey Look very, very, good!
White Lily flour I am jealous. When I lived in NC I could get it at the superstore. But here not. My daughter brought me some from a vacation once and I've ordered it mailed to me. It is such a good biscuit flour. I've used the self rising or plain flour for mine. I want to try this recipe. All your recipes are good. Thank you for the dedication to your page posting for all your fans.
ReplyDeleteSure gna try these!!
ReplyDeleteI've only had Angel biscuits once or twice and that was many years ago. I still remember how good they were Thanks for the yummy reminder that I should bake some
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time commenting, though I've seen other Sweet Tea and Cornbread blogs. I'm wondering about high altitude alterations, also, (and here's the even bigger questions --) what about whole grain (wheat or other grain) flours, and non-hydrogenated oil (not Crisco), but maybe butter or some vegetable or nut oil. I hope you might be able to assist me with these alterations, and I thank you for taking the time with me.
ReplyDeleteI live in a high alt. Also, A rule of tbumb I use is add additional flour anywhere from 3 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup to recipes and bake as usual, some recipes will tell you to bake at 325°F add more baking time and make the recipe as it is written, you have to do what works out better for you. HOPE THIS HELP'S??? Happy Baking
DeleteI do not really know the answer to the high altitude question since I don't cook in those conditions and have never looked into it. I am sure you could Google the question and find the proper conversions.
ReplyDeleteOn the whole wheat or grain flours, any breads made with yeast do not work well with whole grain flours. For some breads or rolls you can use half and half and it turns out pretty good. These are more like biscuits and a whole grain biscuit is not a biscuit, really...lol. On the Crisco question, you can use butter (I have tried it), but they are not nearly as good. There is just not any substitution for Crisco (except lard) in biscuits. Try the butter, but they won't look like these in the picture do. They will be a little rougher looking. I hope I helped a little, but some things are hard to sub for in southern cooking and still get the right results.
The sentence about using half and half...are you saying you can substitute that for the buttermilk. I have a hard time finding buttermilk.
DeleteI think she means half white flour and half whole wheat flour. As to the buttermilk, you can try googling "souring milk for buttermilk." There are several methods for using vinegar or lemon juice to make the milk sour. I don't know how well that would work in this recipe though.
Deletehi was just wanting to say the same about making your homemade buttermilk, i just read last week how simple this is. you can use about 1 liter milk and add 2tblspoons fresh lemon juice or vinegar and thats it, after 5 mins u have buttermilk, at least thats what the recipe said
DeleteI've made biscuits by hand for years..I've used both buttermilk and regular whole milk. Just from years of experience the buttermilk works the best for fluffiness. But if you are in a crunch you can use whole milk.
DeleteAmanda
If you have a hard time finding fresh buttermilk. Look for the powdered kind. I found it in the baking section of my local grocery store.
DeleteI use "sour milk" all the time. 1 Tbs cider vinegar 1 cup milk let sit for few minutes....ready
DeleteI HAVE MADE THIS "SOUR MILK" A BUNCH OF TIMES AND IT WORKS JUST FINE. I've BEEN COOKING FOR 81 YEARS.
DeleteCindi, you mix it all together just enough to get everything moist and incorporated. There is not need to over mix, just stir together.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean be chill for a hour, does that mean that we are to put the dough in the refrigerator?
DeleteCan you use these as dumplings? And would I change anything ? I need a good chicken and dumpling recipe !
ReplyDeleteYes you can!
DeleteAs for dumplings my grandmothers and my mother and myself, used plain flour, egg, and salt, mixed with 1/2 water 1/2 chicken broth. Mix still sticky and turn onto a flour counter top, and roll out to the thickness you like, cut into strips and place in broth and cook add more salt and black pepper to taste. These are so good, and simple you do not need a fancy dancie recipe.
DeleteCan you use Crisco cooking oil to mix the flour, instado of the solid?
ReplyDeleteWhat we call scones in South Africa. Biscuit to us is flat cookies. But it does look yummy!
ReplyDeleteCan you use regular milk and do you have to roll the biscuits in butter? Can I just spray my biscuit pan with some cooking spray?
ReplyDeleteIf you cannot get buttermilk, make your own. Take regular whole milk and add a spoonful of white vinegar and lemon juice to it. The acid will curdle it and make it into a sort of buttermilk.
ReplyDeleteI just used plain Greek yogurt as a sub for buttermilk and it worked great. I had to add a little more milk but the biscuits turned out really fluffy on the inside and since I buttered the bottom of the pan and brushed butter on top before I put them in the oven they were crispy on the top and bottom.
DeleteOn the question about half and half, I meant half whole wheat flour and half regular all purpose flour pertaining to the question about using whole wheat flour for these.
ReplyDeletecan you use self rising flour
Delete"MAMA FAUST"(MY MOTHER-IN-LAW) MADE "ANGEL BISCUITS" & THEY WERE DELICIOUS!!!
DeleteI'm all for eating healthier but if you want to try a recipe for a specific item, why ask for a jillion alterations and iterations before even making them as described?? Puzzled.
ReplyDeletecan you use butter flavored Crisco
ReplyDeleteAny chance you can make homemade flake-style biscuits? Have tried for years...
ReplyDeletecan you use butter flavor Crisco
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN BUY POWDERED BUTTERMILK (IT IS MIXED WITH WATER) THE DIRECTIONS ARE ON THE CONTAINER.
ReplyDeleteIT WORKS WELL.
rvgrandmav@aol.com
These are the best biscuits ever! My family has been making them for over 30 years for all family gatherings. I am so excited to read that you can freeze them! Never thought of that. When ever I tell someone about our family's "yeast biscuits" everyone thinks I'm crazy. Thanks for publishing! Paula Rogers
ReplyDeletewe dont have crisco in germany, what could i use instead ? pretty please
ReplyDeleteMarkenname von Backfett (sehe: shortening)
DeletePalmin Soft® is a substitute, although I don't know the water content. (Crisco has no water in it.) There is also vegetable fat sold in bars
Lard ! Manteca brand in the Mexican food section .
DeleteThis is a great recipe to add to my collection of bicuits.. :) Thx Kathy
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked it!
DeleteIs she saying sit aside for an hour and chill, as in a refrigerator?
ReplyDeleteDid you ever find out the answer to your question?I am wondering the same thing.
DeleteYes, you chill them in the refrigerator. You can actually keep the dough for up to a week and use just what you need each day.
DeleteI always think about making biscuits but cooking for 2 it seems a waste. BUT this recipe changes my thoughts on this. THANK YOU for sharing this. It will let me have the biscuits I want, when I want with no waste. BTW, I love your site. Many of your recipes have become regulars in my menus and also I have found recipes I grew up with & had lost the recipes....Thank you so much...
ReplyDeleteDon't know what part of the South you are in but in Alabama we don't put yeast in a bis! We do in rolls but not a bis!
ReplyDeleteThis is not a traditional biscuit recipe. I explain in the post that it is a cross between a yeast roll and a biscuit.
DeleteFirst time I've seen baking powder used with yeast.
ReplyDeleteDelish! Thank you
ReplyDeleteTo make buttermilk. Add one Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to your measuring cup. Fill with milk. let stand 5 minutes. Makes 1 cup of Buttermilk.
ReplyDeleteI love these biscuits, but I haven't done much baking in quite awhile. Someone wondered about the question regarding the Crisco. That person may have the same concern I have...high cholesterol and the effects of trans-fats. Kathy, I must tell you a funny story on myself. When I was a young cook, my mother told me about this recipe. I misunderstood and thought she said to make the dough and poor the yeast/water mixture over the dough. I made the biscuits, cut them out, put them in the pan and poured the yeast over them, let them set and then baked. If you can believe it, they still were delicious biscuits. lol. Don't think many cooks would share such a story!
ReplyDeleteCan you use self rising flour instead of all purpose?
ReplyDeleteNo, since these have yeast in them, you need to use plain flour that has not rising agents in it and the gluten is different also.
DeleteThank you for putting these biscuits in your blog, I will try them. But can you freeze these biscuits? Because in My Household We are 3 Adults and what am I going to do with so much biscuits. Maybe cut them up when the dough is spread out on the Kitchen Counter, and then putting them in buttered Pan and freezing them and take out when We want biscuits again. Is that a possibility? Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteWhen baking the frozen biscuits, do you lower the oven temp or thaw before baking?
ReplyDeleteCan you substitute anything for the shortening?
ReplyDeleteIs there a substitute for the shortening?
ReplyDelete