Also called “bride’s biscuits” in certain areas of the South, angel biscuits are made feathery light with not only yeast but lard. At one time I thought the finest angel biscuits on earth were baked by a Greek lady at a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, called The Epicurean. Then I tasted the billowy wonders brushed with butter at the legendary Mary Mac’s Tea Room, in Atlanta (now more of a sprawling restaurant than a tearoom) and concluded that there was no further competition. “Honey,” I was told by an elderly waitress, “the secret is to keep the lard a little bit flaky when you work it into the flour.” And why are these sometimes called “bride’s biscuits?” For the simple reason that all the leavening guarantees a fluffy, light biscuit for even the most inexperienced, awkward cook starting out in the kitchen.
Makes about 20 biscuits
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 envelope active dry yeast
- 1⁄4 cup warm water
- 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup chilled lard
- 1 cup regular buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water and let proof till bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the lard in pieces and cut it in with a pastry cutter till mealy but still slightly flaky. Add the yeast mixture and buttermilk and stir with a fork just till a soft, sticky dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, form into a ball, roll out 1 ⁄2 inch thick, and cut out rounds with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Roll the scraps together and cut out more rounds. Arrange the rounds close together on a baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm area about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bake the biscuits in the center of the oven till golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
