Angel Biscuits

Before you start

Angel biscuits, sometimes called bride's biscuits, sit halfway between a biscuit and a dinner roll. They use cold butter cut into flour as in a standard biscuit, plus a small amount of yeast. The yeast adds a soft, airy crumb and a mild bread-like flavor, while the baking powder and soda give a reliable rise even if the yeast is sluggish.

Because yeast is involved, the shaped biscuits need a short rest before baking, but there is no long rise or kneading. The dough also keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, so you can cut and bake a few at a time. Treat it gently, as you would biscuit dough, to keep the flakes intact.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (¼ cup) warm water — about 40°C (105°F)
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant or active dry yeast
• 500 g (4 cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp fine salt
• 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter — cold, cut into cubes
• 300 ml (1¼ cups) buttermilk — at room temperature
• 2 tbsp melted butter — for brushing

Method

1. Stir the yeast into the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes, until it looks creamy. Instant yeast will foam less; that is fine.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas.
3. Stir the buttermilk into the yeast mixture, pour it over the flour and mix with a spatula until the dough just comes together. It will be soft and a little sticky.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead it gently 5 or 6 times, only enough to make it cohesive. If you plan to bake later, wrap it now and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
5. Roll the dough 2 cm (¾ in) thick. Cut straight down with a floured cutter and place the rounds on parchment-lined pans, touching for soft sides or 2.5 cm apart for crisp sides. Reroll scraps once.
6. Cover loosely and let the biscuits rest in a warm spot for 45 to 60 minutes, until visibly puffy but not doubled. Toward the end, heat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown on top and the sides feel set. Brush with melted butter as they come out of the oven.

Tips for success

• Room-temperature buttermilk keeps the yeast active without melting the butter. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead, or warm it gently to about 25°C.
• If baking straight from refrigerated dough, roll and cut it cold, then give the biscuits the full hour of rest.
• The rounds rise more in the oven than during the rest. Do not wait for them to double or they can collapse and taste yeasty.

Substitutions

Buttermilk

Use 300 ml milk soured with 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar. The crumb is a little less tender.

Butter

Traditional versions often use vegetable shortening, which makes a softer, whiter biscuit. Half butter and half shortening is a good middle ground.

Instant yeast

Active dry yeast works the same way here because it is dissolved in warm water first.

Variations

Sausage angel biscuits

Split warm biscuits and fill with cooked breakfast sausage patties and a little pepper jelly.

Herb angel biscuits

Add 2 tbsp chopped chives and 1 tsp dried thyme to the dry ingredients.

Troubleshooting

Biscuits taste strongly of yeast

They over-rested or the kitchen was very warm. Bake them as soon as they look slightly puffy.

Biscuits did not rise much

The yeast may be old, or the water was too hot and killed it. Check the expiration date and keep the water near 40°C (105°F).

Dough is too sticky to roll

Flour the counter and rolling pin generously and chill the dough 20 minutes. Avoid working in a lot of extra flour, which toughens the biscuits.

Storage

Unbaked dough keeps, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked biscuits keep airtight at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 2 months; reheat wrapped in foil at 175°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes.

Safety notes

Do not eat the dough raw; flour needs baking to be safe. Contains wheat and milk.