I’m slowly switching my family to whole wheat.  Not completely, just partially.  I’ve learned just to do it and not talk about it.  They’ll tolerate a slight change, so converting the biscuits was fairly easy.  They actually taste sweeter with the whole wheat flour and as long as I keep it a split flour, rather than complete change, I think we’ll do fine. I’ve done this recipe with half white, half wheat, but to be honest, it’s better the way it’s written.  I’ll keep playing with it, though.

I also wanted a recipe that called for butter instead of shortening.  We don’t keep the stuff and substituting sometimes changes the consistency too much.  This one works really well.

Whole wheat Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. whole wheat
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 C. butter, cut into small chunks
3/4 C. buttermilk (If you don’t have buttermilk, try adding about a tablespoon of vinegar to 3/4 c. of regular milk.  It’s not that different.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. Mix together dry ingredients.First, cut the butter into chunks, and place chunks of butter into a small bowl and return it to the fridge. Now measure out the buttermilk and set it aside. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and the biscuit cutter. Have the biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy near by.
3. Add the butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender,or fork, or your hands if you choose, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together into a ball.
4. Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, 3/4 – 1 inch thick, or use your rolling pin. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.
5. Place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 500 degree oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until buttermilk biscuits are golden brown.

The original recipe says to let them cool a bit, but they’re better still hot from the oven with some homemade jam.

I’m adding this before I lose it, plus, it’s my mom’s recipe and I really want to hold on to it, although I’m sure there are others just like it out there.  I have other recipes of hers I want to add as well.  I’ll get around to it.  But this one is on my computer desktop and I want to make it go away.

STARTER

FEED EVERY 3 – 5 DAYS

3 TBLS. POTATO FLAKES

3/4 C SUGAR

1 C BREAD FLOUR

1 C HOT WATER

IN THE MORNING PUT STARTER IN A LARGE BOWL AND FEED WITH INGREDIENTS LISTED ABOVE. STIR WELL, COVER WITH A CLEAN DISHCLOTH AND LET SET ON COUNTER ALL DAY. THAT NIGHT, MEASURE OUT ONE CUP OF STARTER AND STORE IN REFRIGERATOR. USE ONE CUP TO MAKE BREAD USING RECIPE BELOW. DISCARD ANY EXCESS STARTER.

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Though I found this one online, I made a couple of changes to it because we’re so picky any more.  It took a while to bake since it was so thick.  But it makes a great breakfast bread.

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