Sprouted southern style biscuits...

If you hail from the south, those towering and delicate cream biscuits from the north just aren't the same food. Southerners prefer their sturdier biscuit made with cultured buttermilk or clabbered fresh milk to the airy, fluffy northern biscuit. Perhaps it is the way that they are eaten. In the north, those airy biscuits are gently spread with butter, jam or honey and eaten out of hand but in the south, often biscuits are covered with gravy or served with heavy stews and soups which would crush and collapse those cream biscuits with their delicate constitution.  I have a cream biscuit recipe made with sprouted whole grain flour that is a bit sturdier than the standard northern biscuit, but maybe not enough. You can find my cream biscuit recipe HERE. So, I decided to make a sprouted whole grain southern style biscuit.

This biscuit is risen through the reaction between baking soda and the acidic milk (soured, clabbered, cultured buttermilk, or kefir) so if you do not have any, then you need to make some. For each cup of clabbered milk, place one tablespoon of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measure and then top with milk to the amount needed. Allow it to rest for five to eight minutes to curdle or clabber before using in your recipe. It will look thicker when it is ready.

Sprouted Southern Style Biscuits  (yields 12) 

• 2 1/4 C sprouted pastry or spelt flour (if using red, white or Kamut wheat, reduce to 2C)
• 1 C unbleached all purpose flour (organic preferred)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (not powder)
• 1 tsp quality salt
• 6 Tb cold butter
•  1 1/2 C soured or clabbered milk, cultured buttermilk or dairy kefir

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicon liner. Combine the flours, soda and salt in a food processor and process until well combined. Add the butter cut into small pieces and process until no butter is visible. If you do not have a food processor, stir the dry ingredients together with a whisk and grate the cold butter into the mixture and toss it with your hands. The dough will be very soft so gently turn it out onto a counter or board floured with all purpose flour. Gently shape it into a small circle or square that is as thick as a hand layed flat against the board. You can cut it with a biscuit cutter or you can cut it with a pizza cutter into a dozen small squares. If you are making scones, press into two even circles and cut into six wedges each. Place on the sheet and bake for 12 minutes or so. Because these are whole grain, they will look golden brown before they are done. Lift a biscuit and check that the bottom is dry and a slightly more golden color to ensure that they are done.

What is your favorite style biscuit and how do you eat it?

Linking up with Real Food Wednesday!