I generally try to enlist myself in a resolution list for the new year but this year I never put much thought into it and I guess my resolution is to simply go with the flow! The past few days have also been somewhat of an intense start to the new year. My father was hospitalized and underwent surgery, thankfully it all went well and he is making a good recovery.
Biscuits are one of my favorite southern treats , they are quick breads since they do not require a rising time before baking. I like my biscuits smeared with butter and marmalade or with a little tapenade while I sip my coffee at breakfast. However, as much as my heart encompasses a passionate fondness for these delicious baked delights, I have never made them at home, until now. I came across a whole-wheat recipe for drop biscuits in Amy Boyce’s Good to the Grain. The recipe did not involve the laborious and time-consuming stages of chilling or folding and rolling the dough, and I was immediately drawn to out. However, I did not want the biscuits to be sweet so I did make a few changes to the original recipe by eliminating the sugar and instead adding a little bit of nigella seeds mixed in melted butter for a salty savory glaze on the biscuits. The fat in the cream helps the biscuits develop an amazing flaky crust while keeping them soft inside. You can shape the biscuits dough either by hand or you can mold them in a biscuit cutter or if you are like me just use a circular cookie cutter with curved edges.
whole-wheat biscuits with nigella-butter glaze
yields: 6
ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, and salt twice. If any husks or bits of grain remain in the sieve, add them back to the flour mixture.
3. Using a fork, mix the cream into the flour and incorporate until the dough is completely mixed. Do not over mix the dough.
4. Divide the dough into six equal parts. Place each dough into a 2 inch biscuit cutter and gently press to shape the biscuits.
5. Place the biscuits about 2 inches apart on a lightly buttered cookie sheet.
6. Mix the butter and nigella seeds in small mixing bowl. Brush each biscuit with this mixture and bake the biscuits for about 35 minutes till they get golden brown. Cool on a wire rack till warm.
yields: 6
ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, and salt twice. If any husks or bits of grain remain in the sieve, add them back to the flour mixture.
3. Using a fork, mix the cream into the flour and incorporate until the dough is completely mixed. Do not over mix the dough.
4. Divide the dough into six equal parts. Place each dough into a 2 inch biscuit cutter and gently press to shape the biscuits.
5. Place the biscuits about 2 inches apart on a lightly buttered cookie sheet.
6. Mix the butter and nigella seeds in small mixing bowl. Brush each biscuit with this mixture and bake the biscuits for about 35 minutes till they get golden brown. Cool on a wire rack till warm.
14 Responses
Lovely biscuits! I really like the addition of nigella seeds. Perfect with cheese.
Best wishes for 2013!
Cheers,
Rosa
OOh, these look just wonderful. Biscuits are one of my favorite treats + yours sound amazing!
these look so good. I have never tried nigella seeds, is it salty? beautiful shots Nik 🙂
I too am a biscuit lover! these look fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!
I think I like your resolution – simple and almost doable. I am glad to hear your father is doing well. These things stop our lives in their tracks and make us rethink things. Whether we actually then make changes or not is another thing, but at least we do some thinking.
Love your scale and these just look so lovely and delish =)
I would love to have some of this with coffee on the side
Thank you Rosa!
I am glad you like biscuits too!
NIgella seeds are also known as onion seeds. But if I am correct they are actually not really onion seeds but rather from a plant related to onions. The seeds give a nutty and unique fragrant taste when used.
Thank you so much, Suzanne.
Haha, thanks, I found it somewhere in antique store in rural VA.
That would be wonderful!
Lovely shots , love the addition nigella seeds