Recipe for the biscuits I baked for afternoon coffee

There are days when I crave the tastes from far away. Steamed buns with red bean paste, rice flour cakes or sesame balls are all right, but nothing compares to the sensation of biting into a fresh and warm baked good. This week I invited over two lovely ladies for afternoon coffee and I thought these flaky, layered, buttery biscuits would be the perfect treat. An addition of butter and jam made them even more attractive for the kids. My little one ate at least four.

About 18-20 small biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (around 360 gr)

• ¾ cup chilled milk or buttermilk (180 ml)

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 3 tsp baking powder (12 gr)

• 1 tsp salt (5 gr)

• 3 tsp sugar (12 gr)

• 1 cup cold butter cut in small pieces (220 gr)

• 1 egg

• melted butter for brushing the biscuits

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. In a cup pour the lemon juice and then add the milk (if using buttermilk, there is no need to add the lemon juice). Place in the fridge.

2. Cut chilled butter in small pieces and place in the fridge.

3. In a bowl sift the flour and baking powder. Add sugar and salt.

4. Add cold butter unto the flour mixture and using a pastry cutter, quickly cut the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

5. In a small bowl beat the egg and add the milk. Pour wet ingredients over the flour mixture and mix quickly until just combined.

6. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured work surface, and using a lightly floured rolling pin gently roll out the dough to 2cm thickness rectangle and lightly flour the top. Some people prefer patting the dough in order to prevent gluten formation (which would make the biscuits tougher).

7. Fold the dough in three, by folding the bottom third up over the middle third. Then fold the top third over the middle (and bottom) third.

8. Roll out again and then fold in four. Divide visually the dough into four columns. The edges are folded in to meet in the middle, and then fold again the two left columns over the two right columns (similarly to closing a book).

9. Extend dough (approx. 2 cm of thickness). Using a round biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut the biscuits as close together as possible. Use the scraps to roll out the dough again.

10. Brush the biscuits with melted butter and bake until lightly golden, approximately 20 minutes.

The recipe was adapted from the ones offered in the following sites: My recipes, Serious Eats, and Genius Kitchen