Friday, January 27, 2012

Daring Bakers : Scones (aka Biscuits)






Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Anyone who has been cooking with the Daring Cooks or the Daring Bakers knows the name Audax Artifex.  Audax is always extremely helpful to anyone that needs help with anything like ingredient information or techniques.  He is also typically the first to complete a challenge and post about it - many times within hours after we get the challenge recipe.  He is also extremely knowledgeable about food and ingredients and uses that knowledge to come up with some very creative variations on the challenges - many time doing at least three or four versions.  Knowing all of this about Audex I would have guessed that any challenge that he would come up with would be extremely technical and time consuming - something really crazy.  Well, I couldn't be more wrong, for this months challenge he challenged us to make biscuits - a recipe that takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Audex is from Austrialia so the first thing he did in the challenge was to explain what they call scones is the same as what we call biscuits in the United States and what we call scones is what they call rock cakes.  My father's side of the family is from Kentucky so I have eaten my share of biscuits - we will see how the Australian version compares.

Audex did challenge us to try a few different batches of biscuits so we could see how different techniques vary the final result (Audex made 16 batches).  Well I waited until the last minute to make these so my intent was to only make one batch.  I decided to just make his base recipe exactly as written.  They were pretty easy to put together, although this is probably the first time I have ever triple-sifted anything.  I only got four 3 inch biscuits (the recipe said five) from the recipe and still the finished result was a little flatter than I was used to.  They were very good biscuits - they could have been a little fluffifer but Audex gave us a lot of ideas on how to fix that - maybe after my 16th batch I would get the exact biscuit I wanted.  I served the biscuits covered with some Chicken Ala King so the slightly heavier biscuit didn't really matter anyway.

The whole family loved the biscuit and after supper my wife says "So are you going to make some more so I can have some more for lunch tomorrow"?  Well I had only planned on making one batch but I jumped at the chance to make a second batch.  I decided to try the buttermilk variation - a version very common in the southern United States.  For some reason with the buttermilk version I got a full five biscuits and I think they still rose higher and fluffier than my first batch.  Not sure if it was because of the different recipe or if my technique changed a little but I think it was an improvement.  I like the taste of the buttermilk biscuits a little better too.  Both batches were nice flaky good tasting biscuits but I have to give the edge to the buttermilk version.  Of course maybe I just liked them better since I ate them Southern Style - covered with honey-butter.  I wish I could test out my technique with 16 batches like Audex but I don't think it would be very good for my waistline.

Thanks to Audex for this months challenge.  Go check out his website Audex Artifex.  If you would like to try out the recipe you can find it in the Daring Kitchen Recipe Archive.




13 comments:

Renata said...

I agree with you, Audax is an inspiration to the group! The recipe was so simple that it really makes us want to make more, it's fun! I think your biscuits look amazing even if they were flatter than you expected, and the last photo with the melting butter is just mouthwatering!

Jenni said...

Fantastic job! Your biscuits look utterly perfect!!

Sawsan@chef in disguise said...

I totally agree, Audax is an inspiration and a wealth of information. I too loved the fact that these scones were so simple and quick to make and my family loved them too

Jo said...

Audax is pretty darn amazing with all that he did this month, that is for sure! Your biscuits turned out wonderfully!

Renata said...

Thanks for your lovely comment, Todd. I wish I could blog from my ipad, and I did try in the past, after all, blogging on the go was one of the reasons I bought an ipad in the first place. But it is so stressful that I just gave it up. What made me more upset was the fact that I lost my entire post just trying to preview it, I wasn't typing anything, or changing anything it just vanished!! Well... lesson learned (the hard way, unfortunately).

Susan B said...

It was great that Aud had us go back to basics with the biscuit recipe.  Glad the family enjoyed them!

Kim said...

Buttermilk biscuits do sound yummy! Nice job on the challenge!

Fata Pasticciona said...

Really nice scones! I made mine last minute too, so just one batch, but I'm sure I will bake some more, off challenge, using all of Audax's tips and variations!

Yellowrock Country Girl said...

You biscuits look great, makes me hungry to go make another batch !

Sandie said...

I should have made a buttermilk version as well. It's seem like forever since I had a good buttermilk biscuit!

Penny said...

Your scones look great Todd!  I liked my buttermilk ones better too!

Ruth H. said...

Mmm...  biscuits with honey butter...  I might have just eaten, but now I want that!  I am so glad the biscuits were a hit with your family, and that even with only two batches you were able to see improvement!  I can't wait to see what batch 16 looks like for you...!

Audax Artifex said...

Thank you so much for the very kind words about me. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the challenge so much and yes you are right buttermilk biscuits (scones) always work out better than milk biscuits the extra acidity always helps. A marvellous result on this recipe. Thank you so much. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.