Распечатать
E-mail
 |
Ингредиенты
- 1-¼ lbs (2 small or 1 large) sweet potatoes
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 lb sliced country ham
- Olive oil (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2/3 cup honey mustard
- Special equipment: pastry blender (or two forks), rolling pin, 1 ½-inch round cutter
View Full Recipe at Minced
.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhile%20Nathalie%20taught%20me%20all%20sorts%20of%20tricks%20(enough%20to%20write%20a%20book!),%20there%20are%20three%20things%20that%20I%20keep%20in%20mind%20every%20time%20I%20make%20biscuits.%20%20The%20first%20is%20to%20use%20a%20cold%20fat.%20%20I%20prefer%20butter%20to%20shortening,%20but%20regardless%20of%20what%20you%20use%20it%20needs%20to%20be%20cold%20as%20cold%20fat%20results%20in%20wonderfully%20flaky%20biscuits.%20%20I%20like%20to%20cut%20my%20fat%20into%20very%20small%20pieces%20and%20then%20refrigerate%20it%20for%20at%20least%2015%20minutes%20before%20using%20it%20in%20my%20recipe.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20it%20comes%20time%20to%20add%20the%20cold%20fat%20to%20the%20dry%20ingredients%20you%E2%80%99ll%20want%20to%20move%20quickly.%20%20Most%20recipes%20refer%20to%20this%20next%20step%20as%20%E2%80%9Ccutting%E2%80%9D%20the%20fat%20into%20the%20flour.%20%20It%E2%80%99s%20a%20strange%20term%20that%20refers%20to%20the%20simple%20task%20of%20working%20the%20fat%20into%20the%20flour%20so%20that%20it%20is%20in%20very%20small%20pieces.%20%20Experienced%20biscuit%20makers%20can%20snap%20their%20fingers%20to%20%20work%20the%20fat%20into%20the%20flour,%20although%20I%20find%20that%20a%20pastry%20blender%20or%20two%20forks%20works%20just%20as%20well%20for%20beginners%20out%20there.%20%20Regardless%20of%20which%20method%20you%20use,%20you%E2%80%99ll%20want%20to%20do%20this%20quickly%20to%20keep%20the%20fat%20from%20warming%20up.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOnce%20you%20have%20the%20fat%20worked%20in,%20it%E2%80%99s%20time%20to%20add%20the%20liquid%20which%20brings%20us%20to%20the%20second%20most%20important%20thing%20to%20remember%20when%20biscuit%20making:%20don%E2%80%99t%20overwork%20the%20dough.%20%20It%E2%80%99s%20tempting%20to%20want%20to%20work%20your%20biscuit%20dough%20until%20it%E2%80%99s%20smooth%20and%20without%20any%20lumps,%20but%20the%20biscuit%20that%20would%20result%20from%20all%20your%20kneading%20would%20be%20a%20pathetic%20one%20indeed.%20%20With%20biscuit%20making,%20you%20just%20want%20to%20bring%20your%20ingredients%20together.%20%20The%20dough%20should%20look%20ragged%20and%20it%E2%80%99s%20ok%20if%20there%20is%20flour%20left%20on%20the%20bottom%20of%20the%20bowl.%20%20Remember%20it%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20underwork%20than%20overwork%20with%20biscuits.%20%20Overworking%20the%20dough%20makes%20tough%20biscuits.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow%20that%20you%E2%80%99ve%20worked%20in%20your%20liquid,%20it%E2%80%99s%20time%20to%20turn%20out%20the%20biscuit%20dough%20and%20cut%20the%20dough%20into%20rounds.%20%20Dump%20the%20dough%20on%20a%20well-floured%20surface.%20%20You%20can%20roll%20the%20dough%20out%20with%20a%20rolling-pin%20or%20simply%20pat%20the%20dough%20down%20until%20it%E2%80%99s%20about%201/2-inch%20thick.%20%20Then%20follow%20tip%20%233:%20%20don%E2%80%99t%20twist%20the%20biscuit%20cutter%20when%20cutting%20out%20your%20biscuits.%20%20This%20must%20be%20written%20in%20our%20genetic%20code%20as%20almost%20everyone%20I%20know%20likes%20to%20give%20a%20cookie%20or%20biscuit%20cutter%20a%20little%20twist%20at%20the%20end%20before%20lifting%20it%20off.%20%20%20This%20is%20suicide%20to%20biscuits.%20%20Your%20dramatic%20little%20flourish%20has%20sealed%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20biscuit%20and%20will%20prevent%20it%20from%20rising%20in%20the%20oven.%20%20Biscuits%20that%20had%20dreams%20of%20fluffiness%20will%20be%20reduced%20to%20hockey%20pucks.%20%20It%E2%80%99s%20a%20sad%20sight%20to%20see%20and%20a%20mistake%20you%20won%E2%80%99t%20repeat.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAnd%20that%E2%80%99s%20it.%20%20Keep%20your%20fat%20cold,%20work%20quickly,%20and%20don%E2%80%99t%20twist%20the%20cutter.%20%20Three%20easy%20steps%20that%20will%20get%20you%20on%20your%20way%20to%20biscuit%20greatness.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMakes%20about%2030%20small%20biscuit%20sandwiches%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EA%201-1/2%20inch%20cutter%20will%20make%20about%2030%20small%20biscuit%20sandwiches%20that%20are%20perfect%20for%20appetizers.%20%20Biscuits%20can%20be%20made%20larger%20or%20smaller%20if%20desired.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPreheat%20the%20oven%20to%20400%20degrees.%20%20Prick%20the%20sweet%20potatoes%20with%20a%20fork%20and%20place%20them%20on%20a%20baking%20sheet.%20%20Bake%20for%201%20hour%20or%20until%20tender.%20%20Remove%20from%20the%20oven%20and%20let%20cool.%20%20Scrape%20the%20inside%20of%20the%20sweet%20potato%20into%20a%20small%20bowl%20and%20discard%20the%20skin.%20Mash%20the%20sweet%20potatoes%20with%20a%20potato%20masher%20or%20two%20forks.%20%20Set%20aside.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIncrease%20the%20oven%20temperature%20to%20450%20degrees.%20%20In%20a%20large%20bowl,%20whisk%20together%20the%20flour,%20baking%20powder,%20sugar,%20salt,%20and%20baking%20soda.%20%20%20Use%20a%20pastry%20blender%20or%20two%20forks%20to%20cut%20the%20cold%20butter%20into%20the%20flour%20until%20the%20butter%20is%20in%20small%20pieces.%20%20Using%20your%20hands,%20quickly%20rub%20the%20sweet%20potato%20into%20the%20flour%20until%20combined.%20Stir%20in%20the%20buttermilk%20until%20just%20incorporated.%20%20Turn%20the%20dough%20out%20on%20the%20counter%20and%20pull%20it%20together%20using%20your%20hands.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERoll%20the%20dough%20out%20until%20it%20is%20about%201/2-inch%20thick.%20%20Use%20a%201%20%C2%BD-inch%20round%20cutter%20to%20cut%20out%20the%20biscuits.%20%20Do%20not%20turn%20the%20cutter%20when%20cutting%20out%20the%20biscuits%20as%20this%20will%20seal%20the%20edges%20and%20the%20biscuits%20will%20not%20rise%20as%20well.%20%20Transfer%20the%20biscuit%20rounds%20to%20a%20small%20baking%20sheet.%20%20Make%20sure%20the%20biscuit%20rounds%20are%20touching%20each%20other%20and%20not%20spaced%20too%20far%20apart.%20%20Bake%20the%20biscuits%20for%2015%20minutes%20or%20until%20golden%20brown.%20%20Set%20aside%20to%20cool.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeat%20a%20large%20skillet%20over%20medium-high%20heat.%20%20%20Lightly%20coat%20the%20skillet%20with%20olive%20oil.%20%20%20Being%20careful%20not%20to%20overcrowd%20the%20skillet,%20add%20the%20slices%20of%20country%20ham%20to%20the%20skillet%20and%20cook%20for%20about%201%20minute%20on%20each%20side.%20%20Once%20cooked,%20set%20the%20country%20ham%20on%20a%20platter%20and%20continue%20cooking%20the%20remaining%20slices%20of%20country%20ham;%20add%20more%20olive%20oil%20to%20the%20skillet%20if%20needed.%20%20Cut%20the%20cooked%20country%20ham%20into%20biscuit-sized%20pieces.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20assemble%20the%20biscuits,%20cut%20each%20biscuit%20in%20half.%20%20Spread%20one%20half%20of%20the%20biscuit%20with%20the%20honey%20mustard%20and%20top%20with%20a%20piece%20of%20country%20ham.%20%20Top%20with%20the%20biscuit%20half%20and%20repeat%20until%20all%20of%20the%20biscuits%20have%20been%20assembled.%20%20Serve.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}