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Angel Biscuits

Source of Recipe

From "Biscuit Bliss" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Often called 'bride's biscuits' in some areas of the country since the double leavening supposedly guarantees a feather-light biscuit for even the most inexperienced cook, angel biscuits have been a popular bread in America for at least a century. At the legendary Mary Mac's Tearoom in Atlanta, the biscuits are made even lighter by substituting lard for shortening, and to achieve a slight exterior crispness from top to bottom, some Southern cooks brush the biscuits with melted butter, bake them a few minutes in the bottom of the oven, then finish them off on the middle oven rack. Wrapped lightly in plastic, this dough will keep about two days in the refrigerator."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 envelope active dry yeast
â—¦ ¼ cup warm water
â—¦ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ cup chilled vegetable shortening
â—¦ 1 cup buttermilk


Recipe

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water, stir, and set aside to proof.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry cutter or rub with your fingertips till the mixture is mealy. Add the yeast mixture and buttermilk and stir with a fork just till a soft, sticky dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, form into a ball, roll out ½ inch thick, and cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Roll the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange the rounds close together on a baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm area about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Bake the biscuits in the center of the oven till golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes about 20 biscuits