Carrie Morey, owner of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit and star of public television’s How She Rolls, shares a recipe that was passed down by her paternal grandmother.
Ingredients
| 2 (¼-ounce) packages active dry yeast |
| ½ cup sugar |
| ¼ c. warm water |
| 5 cups all-purpose flour (White Lily preferred), sifted, plus more for dusting |
| 1 Tbsp. baking powder, sifted (aluminum-free preferred) |
| 1 tsp. baking soda, sifted |
| 1 tsp. kosher salt |
| 1 c. vegetable shortening |
| 1-1 ½ c. buttermilk |
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position. You do not need to grease the cast-iron skillet. You will need to bake in batches or save remaining cut biscuits to bake at a later time.
2. Combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the water in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, stirring to dissolve the yeast.
3. Whisk together the flour, the remaining sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers to “cut in” the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles Parmesan cheese.
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and 1 cup buttermilk. Using your hands, mix the flour into the liquids. The dough should be wet. Work in more buttermilk if the dough is dry.
5. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Run a rubber spatula around the inside of the bowl, creating a separation between the dough and the bowl. Sprinkle a bit more flour in this crease.
6. Flour a work surface or flexible baking mat very well. With force, dump the dough onto the surface. Flour your hands and press out the dough into a rectangle until the dough is 1/2-inch thick.
4. Flour a 2 1/2-inch round metal biscuit cutter. Start from the edge of the rolled-out dough and cut straight through the dough with the cutter. Place the biscuits in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet with their sides touching. (Any size skillet is fine as long as the sides of the biscuits are touching.) Let rest 15 minutes while the dough rises.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Note: Unbaked cut biscuits will keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days. Take out as needed and bake as directed above.
Makes about 36 biscuits.
Nutritional Information: Calories: 130; Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 140mg; Total Carbohydrates: 17g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugars: 2g; Protein: 2g.
Try Carrie’s Flavored Butters at home!
Read Carrie’s inspiring story from Joys of Christmas 2021!
Recipe excerpted from Hot Little Suppers: Simple Recipes to Feed Family and Friends by Carrie Morey, November 2021, Harper Horizon.
