How do you make good homemade biscuits mine look like rocks and just as hard?

Answer 1

I make fantastic biscuits. I use my hands and I use Crisco - not butter because butter puts too much water into the mix - butter is about 30% water.

Two secrets: sift the dry ingredients, and sounds like you are not using enough baking powder. Also if your can of baking powder is old then the biscuits will not rise - best to toss cans of baking powder every 4 to 6 months and get fresh

Here is my recipe:

Good Baking Powder Biscuit Recipe

3 c Flour
6 ts Baking powder
2/3 cup shortening - Crisco
1 ts Salt
3/4 maybe 1 c Milk

Optional
1 1/2 cups grated yellow cheese

I cut biscuits thick and big. Brush with an egg beaten in some cream or half & half

Mix dry ingredients and sift the using hands rub dry ingredients into the shortening, add the milk and stir - you want it to be just sticking together - do not handle too much
for pastry. Add milk and mix. Roll out an inch
thick. Cut in rounds, brush over tops with melted
butter. Bake about 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Can use sour milk or buttermilk but add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda if you do.

Answer 2

You are probably over mixing your dough, when water and flour proteins meet they form gluten. Gluten is a insoluble protein structure that can make your biscuits like rocks. Make sure to incorporate the butter fully into the flour before you add any liquid, that will help keep the gluten from forming since you have covered the flour with a fat, and fat and water dont mix. Bakin is a science, if all else fails, find feed it to the dog, good luck!

Answer 3

I've always heard the key is cold butter/shortening, and ice cold water. And don't overwork the dough. You need to keep the dough as cold as possible so the butter doesn't melt. It'll melt in the oven and form the airiness in the biscuit.

Answer 4

fork biscuits

preheat oven at 170oc conventional oven
8oz-400g margarine
4oz-200g caster sugar
10oz-500g self raising flour

cream margarine and sugar until light and creamy.
sift flour and add, mix all through into a dough(may need to add flour if not creating a dough)
take bits of dough and make small balls rolling in your hands then place on baking trays then flatten with a fork(not too flat) but keep dipping the fork into the flour each time to prevent it from sticking. put it into the oven at 170oc leave into light brown. then take out, sprinkle with sugar and leave to cool, it will harden.
you may need to 1/2 ingredients depends if you need alot of cookies or not.
i got 20 with 1/2 ingredients

these are nice

Answer 5

self-rising flour, vegetable shortening, and buttermilk. don't overmix. this makes the biscuits hard. try not to handle the dough too much, and use a light touch.

Answer 6

use bisquick and mix with milk cheddar and garlic and when mushy enough put on sprayed pan and in oven for 15-20 mins till golden brown they are the best and so damn tasty at 350-400

Answer 7

Add a bit more baking soda than the recipe calls for. Also, if you are using a recipe that calls for milk, use buttermilk instead.

Good luck!!!

Answer 8

LOL! I'm sorry I don't have an answer, but your question made me laugh!