If you were to toss biscuits and hot rolls up in the air and have them magically morph together, this would most likely be the outcome. Hot, fluffy and rich with butter melted into the layers, these luscious biscuits are utterly divine.
Biscuits are a common staple in Southern kitchens and there are many, many beloved recipes. This a recipe that requires a bit more time but oh, so worth it.
Much like traditional biscuit recipes, flour is whisked together with baking powder and kosher salt before you cut shortening or butter into the mix then blend with milk, or in this case buttermilk. The addition of buttermilk plus both butter and shortening come together to create a tenderness and an incredible richness. The biscuits take a turn towards the resemblance of hot rolls with the addition of yeast and baking soda, resulting in a delicate and light bite.
Much like my Mom’s hot rolls the dough takes a slow rise in the fridge. And as an added bonus, you can keep the dough chilled for up to five days, rolling out only what you need or want when you’re ready to bake.
Some tools that are helpful in whipping up these biscuits or other bread recipes include a pastry blender to the shortening and butter into the flour, a bench scraper to keep the board clean, a rolling pin and biscuit cutters. An instant read thermometer to check the water temperature comes in very handy as well!
If there was edible currency in the South, Angel Biscuits would be, well priceless!
Angel Biscuits
½ cup very warm water, between 105 to 110 degrees
2-¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, one packet
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoons baking powder
1-½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup butter, plus extra for brushing, about 2 to 3 tablespoons
½ cup shortening
2 cups buttermilk
Add the yeast to the warm water along with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir to blend together then let the yeast proof for about 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Cut the ½ cup of butter into pieces and add to the flour along with the shortening. Using a pastry blender cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the pieces are about the size of peas.
Pour in the proofed yeast along with the buttermilk. Stir together just until the flour, yeast, and buttermilk are blended together.
Scrape the sides of the bowl, gathering the dough together, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to bake, dust your hands with flour, gather up all or a portion of the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured board.
Gently pat the dough to a thickness of about ½”. Fold the dough over, patting it back down to ½” thick, then repeat twice more. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out, about ½’ thick.
Dust a 2” biscuit cutter and cut out the biscuits. Gather up the scraps, roll them out and cut out the remaining biscuits.
Place the biscuits with the edges close to touching in a cast iron skillet or baking pan that has been seasoned with a cooking spray. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for about 30 minutes.
Before baking, melt the remaining butter and lightly brush the tops of the biscuits.
Bake them in a 400-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. While the biscuits are still warm brush the tops with butter.
Makes 30 biscuits.
Angel Biscuits
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- 2" biscuit cutter
- Cast iron skillet(s) or baking pan(s)
Ingredients
- ½ cup very warm water, between 105 to 110 degrees
- 2-¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, one ¼-ounce packet
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
- 5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup butter, plus extra for brushing, about 2 to 3 tablespoons
- ½ cup shortening
- 2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Add the yeast to the warm water along with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir to blend together then let the yeast proof for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- Cut the ½ cup of butter into pieces and add to the flour along with the shortening. Using a pastry blender cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the pieces are about the size of peas.
- Pour in the proofed yeast along with the buttermilk. Stir together just until the flour, yeast, and buttermilk are blended together.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl, gathering the dough together, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- When you’re ready to bake, dust your hands with flour, gather up all or a portion of the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured board.
- Gently pat the dough to a thickness of about ½”. Fold the dough over, patting it back down to ½” thick, then repeat twice more.
- Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out, about ½’ thick. Dust a 2” biscuit cutter and cut out the biscuits. Gather up the scraps, roll them out and cut out the remaining biscuits.
- Place the biscuits with the edges close to touching in a cast iron skillet or baking pan that has been seasoned with a cooking spray. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for about 30 minutes.
- Before baking, melt the remaining butter and lightly brush the tops of the biscuits. Bake them in a 400-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. While the biscuits are still warm brush the tops with butter.
