Easy Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Tender Homemade Biscuits! (2024)

FAQs

Why are my homemade biscuits tough? ›

If your biscuits are too tough…

Biscuit dough is moist and sticky, so much so that it may seem too wet after you've added all your flour. If you do think this about your dough, fight the urge to add more dry ingredients — dough that isn't wet enough will bake into a hard, dry biscuit.

This unexpected addition will make buttery confections like shortbreads and shortcakes even more tender and flaky.

Take the biscuits and wrap them in a plastic cling film or zip pouch to make sure there's space for moisture to seep in. Lastly, put them in an airtight box and store inside a refrigerator to enjoy crunchy biscuits each time.

Kneading more makes the texture slightly tougher.

like, you can notice the difference between 15 and 45 kneads, but barely.

The biscuits will be hard and tough if you stir the dough too much. They will have a floury, uneven texture if you don't mix enough. Our Test Kitchen cracked the code: Stir the dough 15 times for the perfect consistency and texture.

Use Cold Butter for Biscuits

For flaky layers, use cold butter. When you cut in the butter, you have coarse crumbs of butter coated with flour. When the biscuit bakes, the butter will melt, releasing steam and creating pockets of air. This makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside.

Cream of Tartar is undoubtedly a key ingredient in biscuits, providing essential leavening action, texture enhancement, and stability. Its ability to balance acidity, preserve freshness, and adapt to various biscuit variations makes it a staple in the baker's pantry.

The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

These biscuits are made from wheat flour (maida) and sweeteners (sugar or corn syrup) and shortening (hydrogenated vegetable oils etc.). They do not contain eggs usually. These biscuits are extremely high in calorie, high in glycemic index and generally not recommended for anyone - children or adults.

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

Why are my biscuits not soft and fluffy? ›

Overmixing: If you mix the dough too much, the gluten in the flour can develop too much and create tough, hard biscuits. Be sure to mix the dough just until it comes together and avoid kneading or overworking the dough. Overbaking: Biscuits can become dry and hard if they are overbaked.

As the biscuits sit around, even in a tin, the sugar absorbs moisture from the air. Leave sugar in a bowl in the tropics, for example, and it will absorb so much water it will eventually turn into a liquid! As the sugar in the biscuit absorbs more moisture, it becomes softer and softer and less and less appetising.

If it seems too dry, add a little more milk, a tablespoon at a time. You don't want the dough too wet, though; it should be just moist enough to barely hold together. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the dough out to 1 inch thick, using a little more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.

Baked goods can have a crispy/crunchy outer edge due to several factors, including: High heat: The intense heat of the oven can cause the surface of the baked goods to dry out, resulting in a crispy texture. Sugar content: Sugar caramelizes during baking and creates a crunchy texture on the surface of baked goods.

Too little fat will result in dry and heavy biscuits. The type of flour you use is important. Don't use bread flour unless the recipe calls for it and avoid whole wheat and other whole grain flours. They will make the biscuits tough and heavy.

To prepare crunchy biscuits, reduce the amount of ingredients that tend to retain moisture, such as 00 type flour, eggs or brown sugar. Prefer white granulated sugar or corn syrup instead, for drier biscuits.

To rescue biscuits that have gone soft, pop them on a lined baking tray and bake at around 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3 for a few min, to try and drive some of the excess moisture out of them.