Netmums Easter Biscuits recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making biscuits rise? ›

Embrace stacking. In biscuit-making, height and flakiness go hand in hand. Why? Because the layers of butter that get compressed and stacked as you build your biscuits are what create those flakey biscuit bits, and they also create steam in the oven — which helps the biscuits to expand as tall as possible.

Some traditional recipes originating from the Somerset-area include Cassia oil, in the belief that it was used in the embalming process used to clean Jesus's body after his crucifixion. Most often, they are slightly bigger than traditional British biscuits, at up to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter.

Plain flour 450g, mix with Butter 350g , Castor sugar 225g, Cassia flavouring oil x 10 drops and Egg yolks x 6. Divide into balls and allow to stand for 2 hours. Roll out sprinkling in currants, cut to shape. Bake in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

But to get the rise you want without killing the tang (which would be the result of too much baking soda), you'll need to incorporate baking powder as well, taking advantage of the delayed double-action to add even more levity. Combining the two leavening agents produces a biscuit that is both light and tangy.

Buttermilk also adds a subtle tang. Cream biscuits are made with heavy cream. Cream biscuits are beloved because they're incredibly easy-to-make. But, since cream is much milder than buttermilk, they won't be quite as flavorful (unless you incorporate more spices and seasonings).

I call this my 'extra flaky' dough.” She adds, “When you get into four to six folds, you're more in rough puff pastry territory — a lot more visibly flaky.” As for biscuits, “any number of folds between one and four will make the dough lighter and flakier, and allow the biscuit to rise taller,” she advises.

Extracted from the bark of a Cinnamomum cassia plant, Cassia is a warm and spicy essential oil with a myriad of benefits that can help the mind and the body. For centuries, this sister to the cinnamon spice has been used internally to maintain physical health and aromatically to support emotional well-being.

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Why are my biscuits dry and crumbly? Dry and crumbly biscuits are often caused by adding too much flour.

What makes homemade biscuits dense? ›

If your biscuits are too tough…

Likewise, the stickiness makes it tempting to over-knead biscuit dough, which will break down the butter into smaller pieces, shrinking the air pockets they will create during baking. The result: Tough, dense biscuits.

The biggest tip for creating tall and flaky biscuits is to put the biscuits in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking them. Once they are on the baking sheet, just pop the whole thing in the freezer.

Baking powder and baking soda are what we call chemical leavening agents, meaning they make our baked goods rise. A chemical leavening agent will form carbon dioxide bubbles making your biscuits rise.

A common chemical raising agent used in food is baking powder, which contains two active ingredients, bicarbonate of soda (sodium bicarbonate - something called an alkali) and cream of tartar (potassium hydrogen tartrate - something called an acid).

For super light, crumbly biscuits try grating or pushing the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve into the biscuit dough. This increases the fat content and slows down the development of gluten. Cookie recipes on the other hand are more likely to contain eggs. Adding moisture as well as binding the mixture.