With the airiness of dinner rolls and the flaky, buttery layers of traditional biscuits, angel biscuits—which get their extra lift from a little yeast—truly deserve their celestial name. I add chopped watercress for its mild peppery flavor and a pop of color.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 dozen 2 to 2 1/2 inch biscuits
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Step 2
Combine the yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the warm water and set aside in a warm place for about 5 minutes, until the yeast froths and doubles in size.
Step 3
Meanwhile, stir together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter and the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives in a crosscutting motion until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Work quickly so the butter remains cool and doesn’t melt into the flour. Stir in the watercress.
Step 4
Add the buttermilk to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Create a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until the dough starts to stick together.
Step 5
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead several times, and form into a flat disk. Using a lightly floured rolling pin or your hands, roll or pat the dough 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Lightly flour a 2- to 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter and cut the biscuits, leaving as little space between each cut as possible and pressing down just once for each biscuit; do not twist the cutter. If the dough begins to stick to the cutter, dip the cutter in a little flour. Gather the excess biscuit dough, reroll once, and cut as many biscuits from it as possible.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step 7
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with the melted butter. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the biscuits rise and are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
