Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

0 of 10 out on the counter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 cup plus 1 tbsp whole-wheat flour, spooned and leveled
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil, cold
• ⅔ cup plus 1 tbsp cold buttermilk
• 2 tsp buttermilk, for brushing
• parchment for the pan

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 450 °F with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. 2Whisk both flours, the baking powder, salt and sugar in a big bowl. Grate the cold butter into it on the big holes of a box grater. Toss with your fingertips until the butter is in flakes the size of small peas.
3. 3Stir the cold olive oil into the ⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, then pour it in. Stir with a fork about 15 times, only until the dough is shaggy and no dry flour remains.
4. 4Tip it onto a floured counter and pat it into a rough rectangle. Fold it in thirds, like a letter, then pat out and fold once more. Do not knead.
5. 5Pat the dough into a 6-by-8-inch rectangle about ¾ inch thick. Cut it into 8 pieces with a floured knife, using straight cuts, with no twisting. Set them 1 inch apart on the pan and brush the tops with the 2 teaspoons of buttermilk.
6. 6Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the bottoms are brown. Serve one warm, as the side to a bowl of bean soup.