I just bought a new cookbook, Baking With Julia, by Dorie Greenspan. It is a collection of recipes from many bakers, including Julia Child. I love the book so far-and just made the baking soda biscuits from Marion Cunningham. It is a simple recipe of only flour, baking powder, salt, shortening (or butter), and milk. I also brushed the tops with olive oil before baking to add a bit of flavor. They are great out-of-the-oven hot, or at room temperature, or reheated.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening (or butter-adds more flavor)
1 cup milk
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease a 9×12″ baking pan.
- Put flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl and use a fork to mix.
- Add shortening and roll to coat in flour. Break in to four or five pieces. Using your hands, mix shortening and flour, breaking the shortening in to pea-size pieces as you go.
- Add milk and use fork to mix just until combined.
- Generously flour the surface of a table and dump the dough on to the surface.
- Knead dough only 10 times.
- Pat into a 9-inch circle and use a 2-inch ring cutter to cut biscuits. Dough can be re combined and lightly patted out to make more biscuits but try not to over work the dough.
- Place biscuits on greased baking sheet and brush with buttermilk, butter, or any other fat-based product. For example, I used olive oil.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature…can be stored at room temperature, covered.
Recipe uses baking powder but initially was referred to as baking soda biscuits from Marion Cunningham. ??
Sorry, I made the mistake of calling them baking soda biscuits, but they are definitely baking POWDER biscuits. Again, sorry for this miss-communication,