Baking The Best Buttermilk Biscuits

(CBS)  What could be more tempting than warm biscuits right from the oven?!

Katie Lee Joel's learned how to make the perfect biscuit at her grandma's knee, and the Early Show contributor served it up her grandma's recipe to viewers on Thursday:

RECIPES

Buttermilk Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 to 3 cups of all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

METHOD:
Pre heat oven to 450 degree and grease a baking sheet

In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of flour and butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until is resembles course meal. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix with a fork until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the dough begins to shape into a ball. (The dough will be slightly dry)

Sprinkle work surface with flour, coat your palms, and rub some on a rolling pin. Turn out the dough onto the work surface. Knead the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, folding it over onto itself each time. Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Flour a 3 inch biscuit cutter (or the rim of a glass) and cut out the biscuits. Reshape the leftover dough into a ball, roll it out again, and cut out more biscuits until there is no dough remaining.

Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake for 10 or 12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. While the biscuits are still hot, spread some soften butter on top of each on with a pastry brush and let it melt.

Sausage Gravy

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound breakfast sausage, bulk
Unsalted butter, optional
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into crumbles. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a side dish and reserve. Pour out all but 1/4 cup fat. (If you have less than 1/4 cup fat, add butter to make up the difference.) Stir in the flour and cook about 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, but do not boil. Stir in the reserved sausage and the salt and pepper. Serve with buttermilk biscuits.

[StellaDaniel]

Was very interested in the segment on biscuit making. However, you skipped a most crucial part of the demonstration, which is cutting in the shortening into the flour and also the making of a "well" in the flour and adding in the buttermilk. Needed to stress that overmixing will not turn out light, fluffy biscuits. Also need a sharp cutter to make high rise biscuits, not a dull instrument such as a glass. Maybe because it was close to the end of the show and time was running out.

[malexichael]

like the other repliers, i cannot write as fast as guests speak. on the baking ratios story, can you pls post a copy of the chart showing the ratios....even if it is only a still shot of the blackboard,but stationary for us to copy...tnx...m