These sweet biscuits are perfect for making Strawberry Shortcake, a summertime favorite. The biscuits are made with more sugar than normal biscuits. And the combination of butter and half-n-half produces a tender crumb that is more cake-like. Both the additional sweetness and the texture make them the perfect dessert biscuit.
8tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted buttercold and cut into cubes
1cup (240 ml) half-n-halfcold
Biscuit Topping
1-1/2tablespoons (21 grams)unsalted buttermelted
2teaspoonsgranulated sugar
Instructions
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together. Add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients and toss the butter with your hands until the cubes are coated with the flour mixture. Use your fingers to flatten the pieces of butter and work them into the flour. Work the butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with just a few large pieces. You can also use a pastry cutter, but I prefer to use my hands.
Add all the half and half and use a silicone spatula to mix it into the ingredients. The dough should be cool and sticky.
Flour your working surface. Turn the dough onto the floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour. Use your fingers to press the dough into a rectangle, roughly 6x8-inches. Fold the top half of the dough towards the center, and then fold the bottom half over the top half. Use a bench scraper to help lift and fold the dough. If the surface is sticky add more flour.
Rotate the dough 90 degrees or a 1/4 turn. Press the dough again into a rectangle and repeat the folds. Repeat the process of pressing and folding the dough again. Now press out the dough into a rectangle until it’s about 3/4-inch thick. Use the bench scraper to square the ends and sides.
Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter to cut out about 4 biscuits. Fold the remaining dough and press it out until it’s 3/4-inch thick and cut out the biscuits. You should end up with 6-8 biscuits.
Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 1/2-inch apart. Chill the biscuits in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
About 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the biscuits from the refrigerator. Brush the tops with melted butter and then sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar.
Bake the biscuits 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden brown and doubled in height.
Serving the Biscuits
The biscuits are best served the same day with strawberry shortcake, plain with butter or with your favorite jam.
Storing the Biscuits
Room temperature: The biscuits can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container if you plan to eat within a day or two.
Refrigerator: Wrap each biscuit tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Store them for up to 1 week.
Freezer: This is the best option for storing sweet biscuits for several months. Here are some key points for freezing:Cool completely: Make sure the biscuits are completely cool before freezing. This prevents ice crystals from forming and affecting the texture.Wrap tightly: Wrap each biscuit in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer safe bag or container.Label and date: Label the bag or container with the type of biscuit and the date it was frozen. This helps you track how long they've been stored.
Notes
Biscuit Cutter: Use a biscuit cutter for these biscuits. Biscuit cutters have a sharp edge that will produce a clean cut that allows the biscuits to rise. Do not use a makeshift cutter with rounded edges (like a drinking glass). Rounded edges compress the sides of the dough, leading to misshapen biscuits that don't rise properly.Weigh Your Ingredients: For the best results weigh your flour and butter. Why? The final weight of flour can vary anywhere from 4-6 ounces per cup depending on how you measure it. Too much flour will result in dry biscuits. In the US sticks of butter can range anywhere from 103 grams to 112 grams depending on the manufacturer.Keep It Cold: Keep your butter and half-n-half cold so the biscuits rise high in the oven. If your hands are normally warm, run them under cold water before making the dough.Serve Immediately: These biscuits are best eaten warm on the day they are made. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, but why wait?