If biscuits and gravy are a favorite breakfast treat, then nobody has to sell you on the idea of baking biscuits in the morning.
We're not talking about those that originate in a refrigerated tube, of course, but the real thing, made from scratch. The smell of such delicacies baking in the morning can rouse a reluctant kid out of bed on school mornings.
But most people don't need another time sucker in their morning routine, nor in the dinner routine, when a quick side dish to go with a stew, chowder or soup is required.
What you do need is a quick, easy way to make biscuits, pancakes, waffles and more. While there are numerous mixes on the market, they may be little more than flour, salt, baking powder and water. It's easy to make your own biscuit and pancake mix out of ingredients you know will provide healthy, solid nutrition.
In the U.S., a biscuit is a small form of bread made with baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent rather than yeast. Biscuits, soda breads and corn bread are sometimes referred to as quick breads to indicate they don't need time to rise before baking. Sweet variations of the biscuit are sometimes called scones.
Add more liquid and maybe an egg and some oil to a standard biscuit recipe, and it becomes a pancake batter. A little more egg, and you have the makings of a waffle.
Since they're all quick breads, the main difference between most biscuits, pancakes, waffles and even dumplings is the amount of liquid added and the method of cooking. A good biscuit mix should be able to accommodate most of these recipes.
For best results, use a double-acting leavening agent in your biscuit mix.
Single-acting baking powders are activated by moisture, so recipes with this product must be baked immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to the dough or batter, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven or on the griddle.
For biscuits, add just enough water to milk to create a soft dough, knead lightly, roll or pat flat and cut out rounds. If a touch of extra liquid is added, the doughs texture changes to resemble very stiff pancake batter, so that small spoonfuls can be dropped onto the baking sheet to produce drop biscuits, which are more creative in texture and shape.
For pancakes or waffles, mix the wet ingredients first, then add the mix to the liquid and stir briefly. Overmixing will result in tougher cakes, so its OK to leave lumps. Let the batter sit for a few minutes before pouring by 1/4 - to 13-cupfuls onto a hot griddle or waffle iron.
Few items in your baking pantry will be as versatile as a good biscuit mix.
Dumplings
2 C basic biscuit mix
2/3 C milk
Mix together until a soft dough forms, then drop by spoonfuls onto a boiling stew. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover and cook another 10 minutes. Makes about 10 dumplings.
Healthy Biscuit Mix
5 lbs all-purpose flour, minus 4 C
3 C whole wheat flour
1 C flax meal
1 C soy flour
2½ C dry milk
¾ C double-acting baking powder
3 TBS salt
5 TBS wheat germ
½ C sugar
2 TBS cream of tartar
4 C shortening
Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Biscuits
1 heaping C healthy biscuit mix
About 3 TBS water
Combine mix and enough water to form a soft dough in a mixing bowl. Shape into a ball, knead about 10 times on a lightly floured surface. (Don't overknead or the biscuits will be tough.) Flatten out and roll or pat to ½-inch thickness. Cut dough into biscuits, put on a greased cookie sheet or in a greased cast iron skillet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until browned. Yields 5 biscuits.
Pancakes
½ C milk
1 egg
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 C healthy biscuit mix
Combine first three ingredients, blend well. Add biscuit mix, stir until smooth. (If thicker batter is desired, add more flour.) Drop batter on lightly greased hot griddle, and cook until pancakes are browned on both sides. Yields about five 4-inch pancakes.
Basic Biscuit mix
10 C all-purpose or bread flour
1/3 C baking powder
1 TBS salt
2 C shortening
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. With two knives or a pastry blender, add the shortening in spoonfuls and cut it in until the mixture is the texture of coarse cornmeal. Keep mix stored in a labeled, tightly closed container. It will keep on the pantry shelf for up to six months in dry weather. In hot or humid weather, it is a good idea to refrigerate the mix.
Yields about 10 cups of mix.
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