Black Pepper Biscuits

A few weeks ago one of my FB friends posted this recipe and I knew I had to try it. I love biscuits, but I've never found a recipe I've just loved. Tonight I made these and Matt and I both agreed, best homemade biscuits we've ever had. They were delish and I could've ate many with the raspberry peach jam I just made. Yum! This recipe is orginally from the Food Network, a Bobby Flay recipe.

So a few of my thoughts about this recipe. The black pepper could easily be omitted if you're not a fan, as you just sprinkle it on top prior to baking. I followed the recipe and used unsalted butter (since I had some in the freezer), but Matt and I agreed, they could've used a little more salt. So I think next time I will use salted butter and slowly add the tsp of salt until it seems salty enough, but try if for yourself how you'd like it and go from there. Since I rarely plan ahead to make something with buttermilk, I used the "homemade" buttermilk substitute of 1 tbls vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk method. Also, don't let the lack of heavy whipping cream in your fridge from making these, as I think they would probably be okay without, just a thought. (I'll have to test that next time.)

Black Pepper Biscuits

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk

1/2 cup heavy cream (brushed on top prior to baking)

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper (I sprinkled some from my shaker, nothing near this amount.)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to distribute the ingredients evenly. Scatter the butter over the top of the flour mixture and pulse 4 or 5 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and pulse until the mixture just begins to come together. (I don't have a food processor, so I used a pastry blender to "cut" my butter in. Then I used my kitchen aid when I added the buttermilk so I didn't have to work so hard by hand.)

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat the dough into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. (I used my rolling pin, it's faster.) Use a 3-inch round cutter to make 8 biscuits then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Press together the scraps of dough, and repeat process. Place the biscuits on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper; brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

Grammie's Coconut Bread

I am posting this recipe for Mom/Grammie because she doesn't know how. After you get this recipe, you'll be thankful she doesn't know how to blog so she can be in the kitchen making this bread. So, the story behind this recipe..........Mom/Grammie gave me this recipe a while ago and told me that she had been making it and taking it to the temple on Saturdays for the workers. I've carried this recipe around and thought, "Yeah, yeah, one day I'll make it".

Saturday evening I got the itch to make the Young Women's presidency and advisors something for Easter. I pulled this recipe out and proceeded to make four loaves of this bread and six loaves of Almond Poppyseed bread. I wish now that I would have only made this, it's that good! Everyone I gave it to on Sunday raved about it! Even if you don't like coconut, it's okay, make it anyway because you can't really taste the coconut in it.



Coconut Bread:
2 C. Sugar
1 C. Oil
4 Eggs
2 t. Coconut Extract
1 C. Buttermilk
3 C. Flour
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Baking Powder
1 C. Flaked Coconut

Mix like a cake, spray pans with Pam and sprinkle with sugar. Fill about half full or a little more. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes (you will have to bake it longer, guaranteed. Bake until centers are firm when lightly touched). While hot, pour glaze over bread in pans. Let sit in pans 20 minutes and then turn onto cooling racks.

Glaze:
1 C. Sugar
2 T. Butter
1/2 C. Water
1 t. Coconut Extract

In a medium pan heat butter, sugar, water, and coconut extract until all is dissolved. Cool slightly. Spoon over hot bread.

Thanks, Mom, for sharing this recipe! It's my new favorite!

Hawaiian Rolls

(Picture courtesy of my phone camera.)

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law, who got it from my sister-in-law Laura. It was easy and yummy. The tops are a little crunchy since they are brushed with egg. I did mine in my kitchen aid, so i didn't hand knead. I didn't do the plastic wrap part, because I forgot. Mine still turned out. Mine also cooked in about half the time.


Hawaiian Rolls

1/2 cup lukewarm water (105 to 115 F)
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
about 6 cups all purpose flour
1 extra whole egg and sugar for brushing over/glazing the rolls before baking

Stir yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into the warm water in a small bowl.

Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Bubbles assure you that the yeast is active.

In a small saucepan, scald pineapple juice, 2/3 cup sugar and butter just till warm and butter is almost melted.

Add eggs, salt, ground ginger and vanilla.

Place 3 cups flour in large mixing bowl and mix in dissolved yeast and pineapple mixture.

Beat with a wooden spoon until blended.

Stir in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough.

Knead on floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover with a plastic wrap, then with a clean dish towel.

Let rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours (Dough is well risen when indentation remains when you press one finger in the dough).

Punch down dough and divide into 18 or 20 rolls.

Divide rolls in two lightly oiled 9-inch round pans.

Let rise (proof) again, about 1 hour.

Brush rolls with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar, then bake in preheated 350 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Scones with Buttermilk Syrup

Ok, so I haven't actually tried these scones with their buttermilk syrup but I really want to, does that count? I've read about them on a few different blogs and I keep forgetting about them. That is until Marion made scones on Sun, then I remembered all about it. I'm putting it on here so I know where the recipe is and so at least ONE of us tries it. It's a conference tradition on one of my friend's blog. Maybe I'll try it this weekend.....

Scones
(Or use your own bread/scone recipe)
3 Tbsp yeast
4 cups warm water
4 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp oil
About 9 cups flour

Dissolve the yeast, water and sugar together and let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add the salt and oil, then the flour one cup at a time. Mix well and let dough rise for 30 minutes before frying. Roll the dough out into a very large rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut into small squares and fry in hot oil until they are golden brown.

Buttermilk Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cube butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together the sugar, butter, buttermilk, corn syrup and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the baking soda and vanilla (it foams up and goes down after a few minutes). Serve over warm scones.