Recipe: Whole-grain buttermilk biscuits

Dietitian's tip: Buttermilk is made by adding special bacteria to fat-free or low-fat milk to give it more texture and a tangy taste. It may seem like buttermilk is high in fat, but in fact, most varieties aren't.
MAKES 16 BISCUITS
Ingredients

1 cup whole-wheat (whole-meal) flour
3/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour, plus extra for kneading
3 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Have ready an ungreased nonstick baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to blend. Add the butter to the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and stir just until a moist dough forms. Don't overmix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently for 6 to 8 times until smooth and manageable.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out biscuits. Cut close together for a minimum of scraps. Gather the scraps and roll out to make additional biscuits.

Place the biscuits about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits rise to twice their unbaked height and are lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)
Serving size: 1 biscuit
Calories 77 Monounsaturated fat 1 g
Protein 3 g Cholesterol 6 mg
Carbohydrate 11 g Sodium 142 mg
Total fat 3 g Fiber 1 g
Saturated fat 1 g


Source: This recipe is one of 150 recipes collected in The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook, published by Mayo Clinic Health Information and Oxmoor House, and winner of the 2005 James Beard award.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
June 30, 2006

Serving Size 1 (142g)

Recipe makes 4 servings
Calories 434
Calories from Fat 179 (41%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 20.0g 30%
Saturated Fat 1.8g 8%
Monounsaturated Fat 11.0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 681mg 28%
Potassium 373mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 57.2g 19%
Dietary Fiber 9.2g 36%
Sugars 2.5g
Protein 11.8g 23%
Vitamin A 18mcg 0%
Vitamin B6 0.3mg 13%
Vitamin B12 0.1mcg 1%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Vitamin E 4mcg 15%
Calcium 248mg 24%
Iron 3mg 17%

40 min | 25 min prep

SERVES 4

* 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup canola oil
* 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In the food processor, put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse the food processor to thoroughly mix the dry ingredients.
3. While pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the canola oil. Keep on pulsing until the oil appears to be evenly distributed. You may have to stop and scrap down the sides a couple of times to ensure it is thoroughly worked into the flour mixture.
4. After the oil is worked in, add the buttermilk. Keep on rapidly pulsing until the dough becomes a lump.
5. Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a flatten ball on a floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is approximately 1/2 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter cut out the biscuits and put them on an ungreased baking sheet. Space the biscuits about an inch apart. Pull together the scraps and re-roll for more biscuits.
6. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until nicely browned.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com


Share your experience with others, and post your comments on the recipe. Type 130212 in the Search box at the top of Recipezaar, to get back to this recipe easily.
Recipe Notes & Rating: 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star