Friday, May 9, 2014

All-butter buttermilk biscuits & blueberry filling

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 The Gourmandise School  
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 Sweets and Savories
    

'Tis the season...
..to hone in on your biscuit-making skills. So many fruits, so few vessels as easy to whip up, as flaky, buttery yet impossible light as the humble biscuit. Once you've got the technique down, there's no stopping you, because with a twist of the wrist, you can doctor these up to make them cheesy and savory or softer by adding 1/4 cup more buttermilk to make dumplings over your favorite pot pie recipe.

Better yet, you can make this recipe with any fruit. If using frozen fruit, omit the water in the filling. Best part? It's the filling recipe we love to use for summer pies. To make cheese biscuits, add 1/4 cup of your favorite cheese, grated. Grate it yourself instead of buying it pre-shredded to avoid the cellulose they're coated with. And to save money. You can also add chives, thyme- whatever you desire. 

There are a few rules, much like in the pie world, you should abide by to ensure your biscuits cut the mustard. Don't be intimidated by these edicts; they're here to help. 

1. Use cold butter and milk. Really cold.
2. Don't overwork your dough. Shaggy mess is what you are looking for.
3. Flatten your dough with a flat, open hand. Don't round the edges; they should be the same height as the center of your dough.
4. When cutting out your biscuits, either use a knife to cut squares or use a cookie cutter, but don't twist as this will cause the flaky layers to blend together.
5. Instead of running out to buy buttermilk, add 1 tsp of lemon juice to 1/3 cup milk.
6. When whipping heavy cream, try not to overwork it. It's better if the peaks are soft, before the cream gets too thick and curled. If you've overworked it, add a bit more cream and stir it in.

All-butter Buttermilk Biscuits
In a large bowl, whisk together:
1-1/2 cups flour 
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt

Set aside:
2 ounces cold butter, cubed 

Set aside:
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup whole milk

1. Place the butter over the whisked dry ingredients.
2. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until you've sanded the butter and it looks like thumbnail-sized pebbles.
3. Gently stir in the buttermilk and milk until just combined.
4. Pat this mixture down on a lightly floured surface until you form a rectangle about 1" thick.
5. Fold in half and pat down again to 1" thickness. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cut with cookie cutter and arrange on a baking sheet. You can glaze the biscuits with a bit of milk on the top, dust with sugar if desired.
6. Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes.

Blueberry Filling
In a medium saucepot, place:
1- 1/2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup water (omit if using any frozen berries)

In a small bowl, place:
2 Tbsps water
1 Tbsps flour 

Set aside:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsps lemon juice

1. Place the blueberries and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer the berries for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are cooked and juicy.
2. In a small bowl, mix the flour and remaining water until smooth. 
3. Add the flour mixture, sugar, and lemon juice to the blueberries and stir until the sauce is thickened, it will take a couple of minutes.
4. Use the filling while still warm. Set aside a bit of sauce to drizzle on the plate. 
Assembly
Cut the biscuit in half. Place the bottom biscuit on top of the sauce on the plate. Fill the biscuit with a generous helping of filling. Spoon a dollop of soft-peaked whipped cream and top with the other half of the biscuit. Serve immediately.

Wishing you a delicious day, 
Clémence and Hadley 

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