I have been trying for years they either come out doughy hard enough to cut of the head of a dragon or burned what am I doing wrong

Try bisquick, they are easy to make biscuits, just add water and bake, put the timmer on so they dont burn.

Over handling most likely. Just mix enough to blend and when rolling out handle as little as possible. Bake in a hot oven.

http://oldfashionedliving.com/biscuits.html

Best secret... Pillsbury, the kind in a can in the dairy section! ;) :lol: ;-) :lol:

I use self rising flour, buttermilk and cooking oil. stir the milk into the flour till it's like a REAL stiff cookie dough, then stir in about 1/4 c. oil. oh, I start with about 3 cups flour
I spoon mine individually into a bowl of flour to coat then roll them smooth in my hand, plop onto oiled pan and flip over, bake at 375º till nicely brown, takes mine about 30 minutes but I make them BIG

I use 2 cups of bisquick add 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1/2 cup of 7up or sprite jf it is a little dry, just add a little bit more 7up .Bake on 350 about 10 to 15 min or so till they are light brown on top. They are as light as a feather.

once you get a good homemade biscuit you will never think that again! LOL

Great homemade baking powder biscuits
Flour baking powder milk. I am a dump cook. I put in approx 2 cups flour toss in a couple teaspoons of baking powder you can add some sugar if you like about a tablespoon or so to your taste and add enough milk to get a sticky to smooth paste. If it is too sticky add more flour. Too much flour and your biscuits will be tough and hard. I don't roll mine, I drop them by spoonfuls on a floured cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins or less in a 350 oven

Amen, I can't figure out those LAYERS! Whoever heard of a homemade biscuit that comes apart in layers, what is it, puff pastry?

Another great secret- Immaculate Baking Co. canned biscuits- they are awesome.

Can you get White Lily Flour( self rising) ? If so, just follow the directions on the side. I can cook most anything ,but when we first got married I could not cook biscuits, they were hard or doughy. So I bought White lily and followed the recipe,wha la, success!,preheat oven to 500º How does your oven cook? Does it cook fast ,have hot spots? I use a dough blender to blend shortning(works best if cold) to pea-size pieces. Then add milk in well in center, stir just until dough forms and most of flour has been incorporated. Turn out on floured countertop (i use waxpaper)and knead with the the heel of your hand twice, should feel like a fluffy pillow, then I flatten gently with my hands to the thickness I prefer and cut out all I can get on the dough at one time(the less its handled the better)Gather leftover dough & gently knead and repeat.Place in a greased pan, sides touching for soft ,apart for crunchier crust. And the big secret**** Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at *** 500º.**** makes them rise fast! They come out looking like a picture and with a crust that is crunchy and an inside that is flaky/crumbly and moist.I thought the recipe had a mistake, so I called DM & MIL and they both said yes 500º. I cook approx 45 bicuits every Sunday morn before church at my MILs for whoever shows up( about 10-15 of us) and there is nothing left for the poor dogs standing begging at the patio door. :lol: Added* The racks in my oven are at 2nd & 4th notch Also check biscuits starting at 5 min, I don't leave mine until they are done. And MIL oven cooks faster than mine,so hers is at 450º Just watch the tops & bottoms the first couple times and adjust. Good Luck :D :-D

If you get the Pillsbury freezer ones, you may have to take that back. DH's granny (about 90 years old?) won't make 'em from scratch anymore because she's like "These are just as good as mine...and faster too!" :lol:

thanks for all the tips, girls, I've been cooking for 56 years and I still can't make decent biscuits!

I goofed I forgot to add butter to mine in the recipe. I add about a stick of butter to mine. Slice in the cold butter and use a fork to work it into the flour.

I once helped mannage a little restaurant once and our calling card was drop home made biscuits with sausage gravy. One thing I know if I can't make pie dough at age 65 then I will not make good roll out biscuits :).... The bisquick recipe is another good one for home use. nice and fluffy. Lots of good luck

OK, here is my super easy, super good recipe.

2 cups self-rising flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups whipping cream (NO SUBSTITUTE)

*Combine ingredients, stirring with a fork until blended. [If dough is too stiff, add more whipping cream. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour. It should be kind of springy - not stiff.]
*Turn dough out onto a lighly floured surface, and knead 10 to 12 times only.
*Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness, cut with a 2" biscuit cutter (or a 2" glass) diped in flour to keep from sticking to dough. Place on a lighly oiled baking sheet.
*Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about a dozen biscuits.

The trick is not to handle the dough too much. That's what makes them heavy or hard.

Good luck.

She's got it right. Pea size shortening or very cold butter. Handle very little, White Lilly flower, and a hot oven. Use a glass, or mason jar to cut out your bisquits if you don't have a biscuit cutter. Serve warm with honey or syrup...or tomatoe gravy...now I'm hungry!

Yes, as others have said - Don't play with the dough. I do not cut my biscuits in circles, just slice them in strips and across. This makes square but very tender biscuits.

A friend of mine makes them every morning. She swears by Sunflower self rising flour, butter flavor Crisco and buttermilk. Handle as little as needed to mix, roll and cut. Hers are great, but IMHO that is something you need to practice. I buy the frozen ones and they are just as good, in fact, better than mine because I dont do it that often. I am diabetic and bread is my weakness- so I try to bake them sparingly.

Recipe on the bag of self-rising flour.

I have to agree with all those suggesting White Lily flour.

Long time ago I posted the best ever, light and fluffy biscuit recipe.
Search "Bojangle Biscuits" .... hope it is still there. Otherwise PM me.

Got to try this. Have you shared your recipe with Joanne Fluke author of mysteries with UNUSUAL recipes in almost every chapter? Bet she'd find a way to include yours.

Bisquick biscuits used to be good. Now I make my own. Just as easy and a lot cheaper. The secret is DO NOT OVER HANDLE. Got this recipe from allrecipes.com, submitted by Nancy Horsburgh:

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)
1 egg
2/3 cup cold milk

Combine dry ingredients with shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg with milk; stir into dry ingredients JUST until moistened.

Turn onto well-floured board. Press out to the thickness you like (I like about 3/4" thick). Cut with biscuit cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450º for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

For those at higher elevations: Over 5000 ft reduce baking powder to about 2 1/2 teaspoons. (I've practiced a lot to learn this).

The last time I attempted to make biscuits, I decided that I was really making crackers. they didn't rise at all and they were hard. I did use baking powder. I followed the recipe exact and didn't mix too long. When I told my DH he got a good laugh out of it. I'm generally a very good cook. So for two very good reasons, I decided there is no need to try ever again. One, my Dh doesn't care if I make them or not- I choose Not! Two, I'm allergic to wheat. Good luck to you in making yours light and fluffy and tasty, too. :)

Pillsbury helps me make the best biscuits! They always turn out light and fluffy. :))

My family voted cream biscuits as their favorite. Here is a link to Smitten Kitchen's version:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/cream-biscuits/

ANGEL BISCUITS


1 pkg dry yeast
½ Cup warm water
5 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
¾ Cup shortening
2 Cups buttermilk

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, Set aside

2.Sift together dry ingredients, Cut shortening into dry mixture until well mixed, Add buttermilk and yeast and work together with a large spoon.

3, Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Take out only as much dough as needed, roll into a ½ inch thickness on floured surface, Cut with biscuit cutter.

4. Arrange on a baking sheet and let rise until doubled in size,.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

The dough will be a bit sticky so just roll out with a little flour on the board.
I often divide recipe in half.
-------------------------------
If you are making reg biscuits, do not over handle, bake at 425 until slightly brown about 12 minutes.

Oh GAIGAI can you feild this one???

My husband makes the best bisquits. He found a recipe on cooks.com for yeast bisquits.
No more buying bisquits for me.
Kirsten

SURE!!! It's called Pillsbury! Crescents, grands, whatever. Make biscuits from scratch???!!!! OH HELL TO THE NO!!!!!!

Plus, remember, I'm a yankee. I prefer yeast rolls. :mrgreen: :lol: :lol:

However, my grandmother, the pastry goddess did swear that you needed to use good old-fashioned lard, the kind you had to keep refrigerated, not the nuked shelf stuff.

One little tip that helps the biscuits rise well is to avoid twisting the cutter when you cut. Just press the cutter straight down without twisting and tap lightly to remove the dough from the cutter. I guess that by twisting it, the cutter creates a "seal" on the sides of the dough, keeping it from rising all the way. Of course a good recipe helps!

I really like the wire blender better than Amazon's. The dough doesn't climb up the side of the wire one.

Honestly, there is no better "blender" than your hands----it is quick and the blending is the best! And yes there is something to not twisting the cutter.

Use buttermilk for your liquid and do NOT over mix or knead.

They also have these in the frozen section.............take out only what you need....no waste...oh yea as if they would go to waste :-D

I have a cousin who make biscuts that flake apart.....I watched her but mine didn't cime out the same..some people just have the magic touch

Sounds as if you put too much flour in them.... go by the recipe and you can't go wrong unless the recipe is wrong... and you don't cook biscuits in a hot oven.... about medium heat... perhaps 150 degrees...

All I do to make biscuits is bisquick and buttermilk. The buttermilk is the secret ingredient. Just make a soft dough. Place dough on a floured board or counter and knead a few times and then pat out to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out biscuits with a cutter or you can use a glass. I bake in a 425* oven until golden brown on top. I have fluffy biscuits every time. Good luck!!

Those are what is known down south as "Broke" biscuits. You make your biscuit dough and keep folding it and rolling it out. It's a biscuit version of a croissant. Time consuming, but worth it.