the buttermilk biscuit - a southern classic that's captured the hearts and stomachs of americans everywhere. whether adorned with fried chicken and gravy, strawberries and whipped cream, or just a tab of warm butter, biscuits are a versatile base that are as simple to bake as they are delicious. can you control yourself and eat less than 3?
here at split, we appreciate simple food with real ingredients, but we also love the chance to run wild and get creative with unique flavor combinations! the biscuit serves as our neutral base and becomes a true split biscuit once we get fancy with the toppings - but we're always keeping it real… real ingredients that is.
we teamed up with michael voltaggio, one of america’s most well known chefs, winner of the sixth season of top chef, and very dear friend of split to create the perfect biscuit. below, he will guide you through the biscuit-making process, and then show you one simple, and one slightly-less-simple method for dressing them up, split-style. this is baking, so we measure in grams to be specific - don't worry, the metric system doesn't bite!
the perfect buttermilk biscuit
ingredients
700 grams organic all purpose white flour
60 grams organic sugar
30 grams sea salt, large flake (kosher)
20 grams baking powder
10 grams baking soda
1 lbs butter, unsalted
800 grams buttermilk
equipment
cheese grater
large bowl
baking sheet
parchment paper
most importantly, a can-do attitude!
method
place butter in the freezer for 30 minutes
place all dry ingredients into a large bowl
mix together by hand - you'll get dirty, but it's part of the fun!
remove the butter from the freezer
working very quickly, grate the butter into the flour mix
toss the butter and flour periodically
now for the secret stuff…
making sure the butter is totally covered in flour, take a handful of flour and butter and smash it together in your hands and pull your hands apart
continue to do this until the butter and flour are combined - 2 mins or so...
add the buttermilk
using your hands, gently mix together.
once it is just barely combined, place in the fridge
remove after 20 minutes of refrigerating, and preheat the oven to 450 f
place some flour on a table top workspace and place the dough on the table
press flat with your hands, then fold in half, and press flat again.
repeat this step 4 times, while adding flour
roll the biscuit to 2 inches high
cut into squares with a sharp knife
place on a baking sheet - into the fridge if you're not quite ready, or straight into the oven.
bake on regular at 450 f for 10 min
then reduce the heat to 350 f for another 10 min
the biscuits should be dark golden brown – remove and allow to cool a bit.
sprucing up your biscuit
the simple approach
once the biscuits are almost cool, poke a thumb-sized hole in the top and squeeze in a pack or of your favorite split flavor
then allow to cool some more, and enjoy your split-biscuit version of a jelly donut!
the not-so-simple approach
1 lb butter, salted
4 split packs (choose one flavor or mix it up if you're feeling bold!)
cut up the butter into cubes
fit your mixer with a paddle attachment
in a mixer, add the butter
rip the split packs in half, separating the nut butters from the fruit spreads.
add the nut butter into the mixer
mix until soft and thoroughly combined
on a parchment paper, spread the butter to 1/4 in thick
drizzle the jelly all over the top
roll like a jelly roll and place in the fridge
remove after 1 hour, cut tabs/slices from the log and place into warm biscuits :)
A certifiably American treat, with a twist!
