Cook the Book – Lemon & Herb Baking Powder Biscuits

This is a recipe my grandma passed on to me through my mom. Two very important steps in this recipe are making sure to sift the flour, baking powder and salt – more air means fluffier biscuits. The other is to NOT over mix. Over-mixing will cause you to have hard tack instead of light and fluffy biscuits.

Lemon & Herb Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoon salt
1/4  cup shortening
3 tablespoons of fresh herbs such as chives and/or chive blossoms, lemon thyme, thyme, rosemary, lavender
Zest from one lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4  cup milk

Preheat oven to 450°. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  This is an important step because you want to add air to the mixture so the biscuits are as fluffy as possible. Cut the shortening in with a pastry knife (or your fingers) until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Stir in herbs and lemon zest. Add milk and lemon juice, stirring until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. This is very important; if you overmix you will probably get hard tack instead of fluffy biscuits. Turn out onto a floured board and knead 10 times, then STOP! Roll or pat out the dough until it is 1/2-inch thick.  Cut with a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie pan for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 12 biscuits

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