The Science Behind Perfect Biscuits
Using low-protein flour is key to preventing excessive gluten formation, which results in biscuits that are light and airy. By incorporating grated frozen butter into the dough and chilling it, you ensure that the mixture remains cold, leading to tender and flaky biscuits. Additionally, preheating your baking pan allows for quicker caramelization, giving your biscuits a beautifully crisp golden crust on the outside.
Reflecting on my childhood summers spent with my grandmother Thennie brings back fond memories. While I dreaded summer camp, having her visit was a delightful escape from our bustling family life—she had 11 siblings! Perhaps she appreciated the tranquility of my New Jersey home, located 420 miles away from our large extended family in Virginia.
One of the highlights of those summers was indulging in whatever we desired to eat—and nothing brought us together quite like a good biscuit. Grandma Thennie always kept buttermilk stocked in her fridge; it was an essential ingredient not just for holiday meals but also for everyday dishes like cornbread and biscuits. She even enjoyed crumbling cornbread into her buttermilk for a unique treat.
A Nostalgic Recipe: Butter Swim Biscuits
Grandma’s butter swim biscuits were an easy yet rewarding project for me as a child. Unlike traditional buttermilk biscuits that require rolling and cutting out shapes, these drop-style biscuits simply involve pouring all ingredients into one pan—making them less fussy while still delivering rich buttery flavor and tenderness. I remember her warning me about overindulging: “Kelli, if you eat these too often, you’ll be in trouble.” Back then I thought she meant I’d face parental consequences; now I realize she was referring to their indulgent butter content!
Years passed without tasting these delightful treats until recently when I discovered Jasmine Smith’s recipe from our Alabama test kitchen team. Jasmine’s version closely resembles Grandma’s but boasts even greater tenderness thanks to using all butter instead of margarine—a staple from Grandma’s Depression-era upbringing.
As they bake in the oven, these buttery delights bubble up beautifully—a memory that makes me smile as I recall burning my fingers while trying to sneak a taste too soon! They’re aptly named “butter swim” because they practically float in melted butter—so much so that you might not need any additional spread before enjoying them (though we certainly won’t stop you!).
Essential Tips for Crafting Flawless Butter Swim Biscuits
-
Choose Your Flour Wisely: Opt for soft wheat flour like White Lily instead of regular all-purpose flour (like Gold Medal or Pillsbury). Soft wheat flour has lower protein content (5-9% compared to 9-12% in all-purpose), resulting in lighter textures ideal for chemically-leavened baked goods such as cupcakes and cookies.
-
Keep Your Butter Cold: For optimal results, freeze your butter before grating it into small pieces which will mix evenly with dry ingredients without overworking the dough—this helps create those coveted flaky layers during baking.
-
Use Real Buttermilk: While substitutes exist online, true cultured buttermilk is irreplaceable due to its unique viscosity and acidity levels (pH 4.4–4.8). This acidity tenderizes gluten strands within the dough ensuring soft rather than tough biscuits.
-
Preheat Your Baking Pan: Utilize heavy-gauge uncoated aluminum or aluminized steel pans which promote even heat distribution leading to perfectly browned tops while allowing easy release once cooled down after baking.
By heating half of your total required butter within this pan prior to adding biscuit dough ensures they “swim” effectively during cooking—the bubbling fat essentially fries them lightly creating irresistibly fluffy bites!
Editor’s Note
This recipe comes courtesy of Jasmine Smith with headnotes by Kelli Solomon.
Ingredients Needed:
- 226 g unsalted frozen butter (8 ounces; 2 sticks), divided
- 320 g soft wheat all-purpose flour (11¼ ounces; about 2½ cups), such as White Lily
- 30 g granulated sugar (1 ounce; about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half if using table salt)
- 1¾ cups whole buttermilk
- A pinch of flaky sea salt like Maldon
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven at 450°F (230ºC) with rack positioned centrally.
2) Grate one stick frozen butter using large holes on box grater then combine it with remaining dry ingredients until well-coated before chilling mixture uncovered inside freezer briefly (~10 minutes).
3) Melt remaining stick inside an aluminum square pan placed directly onto preheated oven (~4 minutes).
4) Stir chilled batter gently mixing throughly before transferring into prepared hot pan spreading evenly across edges & cutting through center forming equal squares topped off lightly sprinkling sea salt atop surface area generously!
5) Bake until golden brown (~22–24 minutes); allow cooling slightly prior serving warm alongside favorite accompaniments!
Storage Tips:
Store leftovers sealed tightly at room temperature up-to two days max! Reheat gently around 350°F till warmed throughout (~5–7 mins). Enjoy every bite!