Any Flavour Biscuits

This recipe is very adaptable. My son loves them and calls them “Grandma Archer Biscuits”.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups (625 mL) whole flour (any combination of glutinous flour – I like 1 3/4 cup whole spelt plus 1/2 cup oat flour)

2-1/2 tsp (12 mL) aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) cold organic butter

1/2 cup apple juice sweetened dried cranberries (see note below)

1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk (Harmony milk comes in a reusable glass bottle)

2 tbsp (25 mL) raw, local honey

Note: This recipe can be adapted to many different flavours. You can add raisons and cinnamon instead of the dried cranberries, or cheese and garlic or anything else you think might be good. I just made some with raisons and 1/4 tsp. each of cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and 1/8 tsp. of cloves. They reminded me of my grandma's biscuits.

Preparation:

In bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs. Add cranberries or other. In 2-cup measuring glass, whisk buttermilk with honey; add to flour mixture and stir with fork to make soft dough.

With lightly floured hands, press dough into ball. On lightly floured surface, knead gently 10 times. Pat into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick round. Using 2-1/2-inch (6 cm) floured round cutter, cut out rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in centre of 425°F (200°C) oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool. Store in airtight container for up to 1 day or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

Adapted From The Canadian Living Test Kitchen