Baking Powder Biscuits

Baking Powder Biscuits

My kids have been watching these random humor videos by a guy named Tobuscus. The one they keep playing for all our enjoyment is called "Nugget in a Biscuit," and so as I was making gluten free chicken tenders and mashed potatoes for dinner, I decided we needed some biscuits to go with them. I actually intended to let the Pillsbury Dough Boy make biscuits for us tonight because, truth be told, I love those biscuits every once in a while. Well, I forgot to buy them, so rather than going without, I broke open my new Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook and gave her baking powder biscuit recipe a try because I had no buttermilk. Well, I didn't have enough heavy cream for the recipe either, so of course, I improvised with the wet ingredients you see listed below. They turned out awesome, and I think I may actually like them better than my other go-to Buttermilk Biscuit recipe. I'm pretty sure it's the whole stick of butter in these that makes them so, so good. I mean, I love to slather my biscuits in butter, but these did not need additional butter. Honest. One of my boys did actually, do the "nugget in a biscuit" thing and made a little sandwich or two. And then he proceeded to eat like four more biscuits with butter and then some strawberry jam. I probably ate more than my share as well. So good.
If you're looking for a tasty baking powder biscuit, look no further. Martha has once again proven why she is America's homemaking queen. If you like baking, go ahead and buy her Baking Handbook too.

Baking Powder Biscuits
    --Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook; click here for her recipe online

Ingredients:

• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/4 cup heavy cream*
• 1/2 cup milk*
• 1/4 cup sour cream*
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Toss cold butter into flour mixture, and then with a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it looks like a coarse meal and there are still a few relatively large chunks (1/4 inch) of butter here and there.
Mix the cream, milk, and sour cream with a whisk and then pour into the dry mixture. (*Note: the original recipe just calls for 1 cup heavy cream for the liquid--I didn't have enough heavy cream, so I used cream, milk, and sour cream. You can use any combo, really, as long as it measures 1 cup in the end.) 
With a silcone/rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients with the wet just until incorporated. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over a few times until it holds together. Be careful to not overwork the dough.
Shape dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares. Place biscuits, evenly spaced, onto parchment lined baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until nicely browned all over.
Remove from oven and serve hot with butter, jam, honey, etc.
Makes 12 biscuits.

Why cut biscuits in circles? This is way easier and faster.

Ezra's enjoying a nugget in a biscuit