Test Kitchen's Easier Ever Drop Biscuits

All photos courtesy of Test Kitchen

Since America's Test Kitchen uploaded its video on YouTube, I'm bringing it here for you, my readers. Thank you, TK for making the recipe publicly available for all of us to make! 

The drop biscuit recipe uses cream instead of butter and buttermilk, and this allows us to break a cardinal rule in biscuit making which is keeping ingredients ice cold. It also eliminates the steps of rolling out and cutting the dough into biscuits.

Test Kitchen's Easier Ever Drop Biscuits

Ingredients:

Dry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons sugar (it browns yet will not noticeably sweeten the biscuits)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (for flavor and browning)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Wet:

1 cup cream 

Directions:

1) Toss the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them together.

2) Heat the cream in a microwave to 95 - 100 degrees F. Takes 60 - 90 seconds. You can't omit this step as it melts the butterfat in the cream thinning it to get the right consistency to make a dropable dough. If you leave the cream cold as you would to make the perfect classic biscuits, the batter will be too dry and then if you add more cream to combine into a dough, the butterfat will melt while baking in the oven, turning the drop biscuits into pancakes.

3) Combine the heated cream into the dry ingredients and don't be afraid to mix well. The high-fat content in the cream will keep the dough from forming too much gluten. Another rule you can break with this recipe is not touching the biscuit dough too much.

Now we come to the easy part!

4) Spray a 1/3 measuring cup with cooking spray, scoop up the dough and drop onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat for 10 biscuits. With your hand feel free to get in there to pretty up your biscuits.

5) Bake in a 450 degree F preheated oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Rotate the tray halfway through the baking. When golden brown and done in the middle, remove from the oven. (see top image👆).

Test kitchen suggests melting 2 tablespoons of butter to brush on the top of each biscuit after you pull them out of the oven.

Eat the biscuits while they are warm. Enjoy!

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My Daily Artisan Bread

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Australian Anzac Biscuits

Photo: BakePlaySmile

Anzac biscuits (or cookies) are baked in Australia and New Zealand on April 25 (today) -- ANZAC Day -- to remember the 2 counties' joint Gallipoli landings during World War I. These were the biscuits the wives of the troops baked and sent over to them. My blogging friend, Patricia of the Red Cardinal made me aware of them, and hopefully, she will check my ingredients for authenticity (and correct them if needed):

Anzac Biscuits

Ingredients: 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup brown sugar (some recipes use regular white sugar)
1 cup quick cooking oats (or you could substitute old fashion -- 5-minute oats.)
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, soften
2 tablespoons golden syrup (In the USA, you'll have to make your own golden syrup, just click for how to make it.)

Optional: Not really authentic, but if you wish to press a few crushed walnuts into some of the cookies do!

Directions:

1) Stir together the flour, baking soda and sugar.

2) Add the oats and coconut.

3) Next the wet ingredients: Toss in the soften butter and golden syrup. If the batter is dry add a few drops of hot water.

4) Use a tablespoon to dip out the batter and drop the cookies on a cookie sheet. You can flatten them with the spoon.

5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 - 20 minutes.

Happy ANZAC Day to Partrica and all my readers on the Southern hemisphere! Mmm, these Anzac cookies are keepers.


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Welcome To The Loveless Cafe

Nashville's Loveless Cafe opened its doors in 1951. That's when Annie Loveless first served a batch of her prized scratch biscuits – using a secret family recipe – along with her homemade preserves and fried chicken. Soon cured country ham was added. Over the years the business changed hands, but a dedicated group of Music City locals kept it open and continued serving up it's smokehouse specials and country relishes and condiments. Today it has a thriving “Hams & Jams” mail order business, but Carol Fay, who started working at the cafe 30 years ago, and her cooking crew, still make everything in small batches. Peach, blackberry and strawberry preserves are slow cooked – 72 jars at a time – using Annie's original recipe of just fruit, sugar and 4-6 hours of simmering. Each jar is poured, labelled and packed by hand. Over the years, Carol Fay mastered many jobs and worked her way up. Today she is the keeper of the secret biscuit recipe and the face of the Loveless Cafe. If you stop by to eat, you can say “Hello” to Carol Fay.

The Loveless Cafe is known around the world for its hospitality and delicious Southern home-cooked breakfast, the best of the best. Outside of Nashville, you can call, or go online to order gift packs of smoked, favored bacon, country ham, Vinegar-Pepper BBQ Soak & Marinade, Loveless Seasoned Salt, or the cafe's [secret recipe] biscuit mix. You can butter your biscuits by ordering the cafe's scrumptious apple or pumpkin butters and satisfy your sweet tooth by sampling their heavenly confections, like homemade spiced pecans, caramel sorghum popcorn, or famous Tennessee T-Cakes, made in Nashville using a century-old recipe.

And visit the gift shop – either on your way out or online – where the cafe's cheeky slogans like “Our Butts Are Smokin” are sure to put a smile on your face.