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[Bentley]

Virtually every biscuit recipe I have seen calls for AP.  The one no-no I heard was no self rising.  I could not find cake, so I bought some bread flour just to try a different type.  I had hoped to find some 00 just to see how it would do, but Wal-Mart did not have any.

As far as cutting the fat in with a pastry cutter, been doing that for a long time, so I do not think that is the issue.  The Southern Biscuit mix is quite interesting.  It has hard pieces of what appear to be shorting in the mix. So, I may or may not try again.  Other then practicing with Competition BBQ Meats, I have never put as much time into something involving cooking and not gotten better at it.  It is quite frustrating.

[ylr]

Just my  ......

Use Gold Medal or Martha White brands; they have a lower protein content, which will create a more tender biscuit, but will still keep its structure, unlike the mess you would have if you used cake flour.

White bread and hamburger milk gravy is actually quite good....... 

[Darwin]

The only bit of advice I see missing is temperature.  The bakers i worked with say go hot and fast, 425.  Stick with AP or pastry flour, don't over work the dough, don't press down hard when rolling out the dough. Place close together so they support each other during baking.  I'm not much on biscuits, but I do prefer sourdough biscuits over regular. 
Youtube should have a few helpful videos.   

[Mudflap]

Worked all night thinking about biscuits so I had to make a batch before I go to bed.









No gravy...

Mudflap

[hughver]

White bread and hamburger milk gravy is actually quite good.......

In the service we called that "SOS"   

[Bentley]

You got better rise in yours then I have with mine in a long time!  Nicely done!  I guess the next step is to go by new baking powder and soda to make sure I am not defeating myself from the beginning.

[Mudflap]

You got better rise in yours then I have with mine in a long time!  Nicely done!  I guess the next step is to go by new baking powder and soda to make sure I am not defeating myself from the beginning.

Thanks Bentley
I just notice that maybe I am cheating some. Recipe says it makes 10 and I get 7. Today  I did double batch and got 14 1/2. So maybe I start out thicker or bigger round then it says?



Wife wasn't happy when I didn't make any gravy.

Only got one more night shift to go so maybe this will help me sleep. (just don't tell her its not elk gravy)

[Trooper]

Use Gold Medal or Martha White brands; they have a lower protein content, which will create a more tender biscuit, but will still keep its structure, unlike the mess you would have if you used cake flour.

Hmmmmm. Bentley was going to try bread flour. Now, I don't remember for sure, but doesn't bread flour have a higher protein level yet compared to APF? Is Bentley going in the wrong direction using bread flour? Greater minds than mine (Like FMT for example) need to decide this issue.

Also BentMan, I'm rooting for you all the way so I can copy your recipe after you have done all of your experimenting and have the finished product down pat.

[bregent]

Use Gold Medal or Martha White brands; they have a lower protein content, which will create a more tender biscuit, but will still keep its structure, unlike the mess you would have if you used cake flour.

Hmmmmm. Bentley was going to try bread flour. Now, I don't remember for sure, but doesn't bread flour have a higher protein level yet compared to APF? Is Bentley going in the wrong direction using bread flour? Greater minds than mine (Like FMT for example) need to decide this issue.

Also BentMan, I'm rooting for you all the way so I can copy your recipe after you have done all of your experimenting and have the finished product down pat.

Correct. You want biscuits to be tender, and higher protein will result in a tougher dough. That's why I suggested going to pastry flour which is lower than AP, but I don't the the flour would solve Bentleys current issue - there's something else that needs to be tweaked.

Bentley, save the bread flour for bread or pizza.

[Bentley]

No news on the biscuits, but fresh yeast and King Arthur Bread flour makes some fine, unhealthy White Bread that begs to have large pats of sweet butter placed on it right after it comes out of the oven.

Now to master this...It is delicious, but a tad to "fluffy", great for dinner rolls, but I need to figure out how to get a tad more "body" to it so it will hold up to a nice deli sandwich!  I wonder if longer kneading would accomplish this?

They used to make a store bread that supposedly had a cut down the middle and they put butter in it, I can't remember the name.  Tried to do that, but it did not seem to come out correct!

[Quadman750]

Looks fantastic, love home made bread & buns.

[urnmor]

This has been one of the most fun threads to read.  An honest cook tells us his trials and tribulations when making biscuit.  I amy now have to make biscuits and see if I can duplicate the results.  Oh Yea I already have that is why I do not make them.

[Fire708]

Rooting for your success. I can’t bake to save my life. Gave up a long time ago when I screwed up two batch’s of bread in a row. Using a bread machine 

AltonBrown has a couple of videos about biscuits. If you haven’t watched them they may help. I really like his explanations of why things happen when we cook.

Great looking bread, it was home pride bread that had the split top and butter. Mom bought it for us once. Do t remember it being any better than the store brand.

[Bentley]

I remember the episode where Alton had his grandma on, and she emphasized, do not over work the dough, it looked like oatmeal when she poured it out to start working with it...it was so wet. Home Pride, sound right, thank you!  Well, Kristin brought home fresh baking powder and soda, so I am gonna try one more time on the biscuits!

[bregent]

Great looking loaves Bentley.  If they tear too easily when slicing, try reducing any fat/oil if you included any. That should make it a little less tender.  And let the loaves fully cook before slicing.

Yeah I remember Home Pride bread.  I think they got in trouble because they showed butter being poured over the top, and it turned out less than 1/2 tsp was all they really used