American biscuits

I have been craving so much American junk food. Doughnuts, biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, eggos, and that's just the bready stuff. Don't get me started on my mexican food cravings. Anyway, I'm mostly craving things that I cannot get here, or are prohibitively expensive (though that didn't stop me from special ordering saltines and lemon-lime gatorade for like $50. first trimester probs.).

Most of these things, I've started trying my hand at just baking or cooking. I made a killer tortilla soup the other day. Carnitas tacos in May. I just bought a doughnut cookbook and things to make American-style doughnuts which are hard to find here, or again - really expensive (1.50 pounds for a krispy kreme glazed doughnut! come on.).

Last year, I purchased the Clinton Street Bakery cookbook and I've been wanting to make the buttermilk biscuits for a long time. I finally found some shortening (Crisco from Ocado) and made some big American fluffy buttermilk biscuits yesterday morning. It was LIFE CHANGING. Henry and I ate biscuits with butter and jam for breakfast. For dinner dessert, we made strawberry shortcakes with the biscuits. And this morning I made a mouth-watering bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. Honestly, I want to die from happiness. Also, the biscuits were so easy to make, I see these happening a lot in my future.

So, here's the recipe if you are in need of the perfect buttermilk biscuits (you are).

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TB baking powder
1 1/2 TB sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 TB unsalted butter, chilled
3 TB shortening, chilled
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat over to 350 F. Mix all dry ingredients together in a kitchenaid. If you don't have an electric mixer stand, use your hands (I don't have a kitchenaid here, and I used my hands - got a little sticky, but it was fast and easy). Add butter and shortening and use mixer (or hands) until crumbly texture. Add buttermilk and mix until dough comes together.

Turn dough onto floured surface, pat with hands into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. You're trying to get about 6-7 2-inch round biscuits. Use a biscuit cutter or a cup with a 2-inch circle. Place all the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the biscuits before placing into the oven. Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, or until golden brown and baked through. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking.