Tall and Fluffy Buttermilk Bisquits

I tried this from Cook's Illustrated July and August 2004 and have used it ever since to make bisquits.



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Tall and Fluffy Butermilk Biscuits

breads

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon double action baking powder
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoon cold butter, unsalted; cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk



To Form And Finish Bisquits
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoon unslated butter; melted

Most biscuits are best hot from the oven but these are better if you allow the steam to escape for a few minutes. Put oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 55 degrees F. Spray 9 inch round pan with no-stick spray, set aside. Generously spry inside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray. Dough: In food processor, pluses flour , baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1 second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients; pluse until mixture resembles pebbly coarse cornmeal, eight to 10 1 second pluses. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy). To form and Bake: Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly , scoop level amount of dough. Drop dough from measuring cut into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free.) Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour , gently shaping into ball, shake off excess flour and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough. barraging 9 rounds around the perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush mound with melted butter, taking care not to flatten them. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees F, continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel, turn biscuits right side up and break apart. Cool 5 minutes longer and serve.

Contributor: Elizabeth Germaine