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Orange Biscuits

Source of Recipe

From "Jubilee" by Toni Tipton-Martin


Recipe Introduction

"Of all the flavors of sweet biscuit I have found in African American cookbooks, orange biscuits particularly can be traced to the Brits' fondness for orange marmalade. But it surprised me to learn that it was the Moors who, in the tenth century, introduced bitter oranges, the basis of orange marmalade, to Europe in the first place. That North African heritage gives new meaning to the black penchant for a citrus fruit that was once considered exotic, expensive, and out of reach for cooks. For biscuits with a delightful flavor of orange, author Dorothy Shanklin Russey in the book Forty Years in the Kitchen: A Collection of Recipes, rolled her dough ¾ inch thick and spooned marmalade into a little dip she pressed into the center with her finger. I roll the marmalade inside the biscuit dough, jelly-roll fashion, and add orange zest and a touch of juice to the dough itself. A brush of melted butter and the richness of heavy cream takes these dainties right over the top."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Butter, for the baking pan
â—¦ 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
â—¦ 4 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ â…“ cup butter or shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
â—¦ â…” cup heavy whipping cream
â—¦ 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
â—¦ 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
â—¦ ½ cup orange marmalade
â—¦ 1 tablespoon butter, melted


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly butter a 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two knives, cut in the butter pieces until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the cream, orange zest, and orange juice. Using a fork, gradually blend three-quarters of the cream-juice mixture into the flour mixture, stirring gently. Stir in enough of the remaining cream-juice mixture to make a slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Depending on your flour, you may have a couple of teaspoons of the liquid left over. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 times, just until the dough comes together and is smooth.

Roll or pat the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches long and ¼ inch thick. Spoon the marmalade over the dough, spreading it to the edges. Starting with a long side, roll up the dough, jelly-roll fashion, and cut the roll crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place the biscuits in the prepared baking pan, leaving no space in between. Brush with melted butter.

Bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375° F and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits