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Orange Tea Biscuits

Source of Recipe

From "The Glory of Southern Cooking" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"If any bread evokes a more genteel era in the South, when afternoon tea on porches and verandas was almost a ritual in finer homes, it's these delicate rolled biscuits enhanced with orange rind and a sugary orange glaze. Just take care not to saturate the dough with the juice mixture; likewise, spread only enough of the mixture over the tops of the slices to give them a light glaze. The biscuits are equally delectable made with fresh lemon. They keep well in an airtight container up to about a week."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 4 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ cup sugar
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) chilled butter, cut into bits
â—¦ 1 cup whole or 2 percent milk
â—¦ 2 tablespoons butter, melted
â—¦ â…“ cup orange juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon grated orange zest


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease a large baking sheet with butter and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Add the chilled butter and rub it in with your fingertips till the mixture is mealy. Add the milk and stir till the dough is soft.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Pat out the dough into a rectangle ¼ inch thick and brush the melted butter evenly over the top. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the orange juice, stir well, and spread about 2 tablespoons of the mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the orange zest evenly over the top. Roll up the dough lengthwise jelly-roll style, securing the seam, then cut cut into slices about ½ inch thick.

Arrange the slices cut side down on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, spread the remaining sugar-and-orange juice mixture over the tops, let stand for 10 minutes, and bake in center of the oven till golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Makes at least 20 biscuits