I grew up in Louisiana and have been making biscuits for about 50 years now. I first learned very rigid rules, i.e. soft wheat flour (9-11% protein--low protein = less gluten = more tender), cut the fat in (lard, crisco, or butter), use buttermilk, add a touch of soda to counteract the acidity in the buttermilk, then baking powder. Handle the dough gently, never roll/overwork, and use sharp cutters (don't twist). Later I was told to be precise in measuring using weights, not volume. Sift/don't sift is another variable. All of those rules will make a great biscuit. I hunted for the "perfect" biscuit recipe. I made my share of hockey pucks. The epiphany was that biscuits are like wine. No one type is "the perfect one!" I now have 4 go to recipes depending on what I'm doing (and still looking for more). I use "classic" recipes with soft wheat and a solid fat cut in, then milk or butter milk. Recipes with a liquid fat (cream) and soft wheat or KA AP (11.7% protein). Sausage biscuits that incorporate raw pork sausage as a source of fat. Some rolled, some patted, some spoon drop. My current favorite (though hardest and most time consuming) uses KA AP with 2 sticks of frozen butter grated in. The dough is so shaggy when you start that you swear it will never come together. You tri fold and roll, yes roll, then repeat for a total of 5 times. I would have sworn they would be tough because of overworking. The key is that you are using 2 sticks of butter (fats decrease gluten formation) and layers (243 if you do the math) to create a very tender and flaky biscuit. It is rolled in a square and after a rest, you trim the edges and cut the biscuits square. I roll the trimmings into pin wheels and call them "biscuit ends." No waste. The point of all of this is, despite what my east Texas grandma taught me, there are many paths to biscuit nirvana. If you are not spooning out the batter, trimming is the key to nicely risen biscuits. Compressed edges prevent rising. That is the major take away of this article. Don't be afraid to play around. You'll find several recipes that you like and work for you consistently and KA is always a great resource.

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