Breakfast biscuits

For my book club we’re reading a book about growing up in Iowa during the Great Depression. I was asked to make a recipe out of the book as a snack for the group. Being the lazy sod that I am, I picked what appeared to be the easiest option: biscuits. In fact, they may be the easiest thing I’ve ever made. You can prep them while only semi-conscious in the morning and have them ready for breakfast by the time you finish your shower. Genius.

• 2 c. flour (I used 1 1/2 c. white and 1/2 c. whole wheat)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 c. (plus a bit extra, maybe) heavy cream
• Bonus yum: cinnamon sugar, for coating
• Extra 1-up bonus yum: lemon curd or lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350. Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and stir. Pour in heavy cream into the bowl a bit at a time until the dough is very thick dough (not liquidy). I kneaded the dough with my hands to make sure the flour was incorporated. Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoonful onto a pan.

If you’re fancy (and I am) add lemon curd or the zest of 1 lemon to the dough. I recommend adding anything liquidy like curd before you finish adding the cream, that way you don’t over-saturate the dough. I found that wet dough didn’t rise as well and made for less appetizing, doughy biscuits. For the 1-up bonus yum, roll the for dough balls in cinnamon sugar before placing them on a baking pan.

Bake about 12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve with butter and jam. 

Photo by loscheiner

Adapted from a recipe from Little Heathens, by Mildred Armstrong Kalish