February 5, 2015

Small batch spelt biscuits

Like all of you, I crave all kinds of foods.  It isn't always the gooiest chocolate cake or the creamiest pasta (though those are obvious, and good, choices).  Sometimes, I see something like whole-grain biscuits that call out to me.
That's what happened here.  I saw this recipe in my recent copy of Cooking Light and jumped at another use for spelt flour, which I really like for its slight sweetest and mild texture in the world of whole grain flours.  These biscuits are 100% whole grain, made entirely with spelt.  The recipe makes four biscuit and the small batch makes the batter easy to pull together, shape, and cut out.  It's truly quick and easy.

So in between eating chocolates during this sweet month of February, let's have some whole grain biscuits, too.
But that's not to say I was totally virtuous.  You see...I paired my spelt biscuits with chicken fried steak.  It's not something I make often but once in a while, I get the urge to make some classic American comfort foods.  It's all about balance, right?  So when you're having a hearty meal like that, making some lighter whole grain biscuits rather than more traditional ones, is a nice way to continue the comfort food theme in a somewhat more nutritious way. These biscuits are just the thing to have to soak up the extra milk gravy (which I make with low-fat milk...not that I'm being defensive about it or anything).

And more on the biscuits themselves...I love the texture.  The edges are flaky and crisp; I love the slight graininess of them.  They are not the rich, buttery biscuits that will leave their mark on your fingertips (like the ones we expect with our bucket of fried chicken) but they're hearty and have a staid character all on their own.  Topped with a bit of extra moisture from a gravy (whether you make milk gravy with chicken fried steak like I did or pair them with sausage gravy and eggs for breakfast like the original recipe concept), it makes for a nice balance.
These are simple, rustic, and satisfying.

I really have a 'thing' for small-batch recipes.  It's more manageable for me and my family of three.  It lets me cook more often and allows us to eat fresh so this recipe is right up my alley.  
I was happy that this biscuit dough turns out just moist enough to pull together. Shaping is just a matter of patting the dough together into a 1-inch thick square and cutting out 4 squares from it.  I'm sure you can make your square more precise than I did (my brain is trained on making a circle, I think!) but I figured the less I handled the dough, the better to retain the biscuits' flakiness. 
I kind of like that they're rustic and knobbly looking...though that could just be me rationalizing my lack of biscuit-shaping skills.  I do love the word "biscuits" - it's got comfort food and the promise of a hearty meal all wrapped around it.  And while you sometimes feel the urge for rich, buttery options, there are times (maybe more frequently) where you reach for a more balanced choice.  I think these are a wise choice.


Recipe:

Small-Batch Whole-Grain (Spelt) Biscuits
From the Jan./Feb. 2015 issue of Cooking Light

- Makes 4 square biscuits - 

4.5 ounces spelt flour (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup buttermilk (I used low-fat but you can use fat-free if available)
1 tablespoon canola oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add buttermilk and oil.  Stir until just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat into a 1-inch thick square.  Cut into 4 square biscuits.  Place biscuits onto baking sheet, spaced about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes, until biscuits are browned around the edges.  Let cool to room temperature and serve.  





53 comments:

  1. Healthy and delicious biscuits. Lovely presentation and clicks too. I am so tempted to grab a bite. :)

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    1. Thank you, Ritu. Appreciate the kind words.

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  2. I've looked for other ways to use Spelt flour - apparently not hard enough ha ha! I love that there's only four biscuits - I just hate it (yeah right) when I have a dozen biscuits sitting around that someone has to eat! Chicken Fried Steak - it has been so long! It all looks yummy. I am sure you've earned it after shoveling snow 15 times this winter. Send some (snow and biscuits) just a little further south please! I bet the buttermilk sealed the deal on these lovely biscuits! Thanks Monica.

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    1. haha!! All I can say, Tricia, is that this freezing winter and these icy snow days have led to lots of comfort foods and sugar-laden treats coming out of the kitchen. The guys are constantly hungry! I've had plenty of time to play. : ) PS - I'd be happy to let you have all the snow...I need to move south one day and I mean way south!

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  3. I love when I can make things in small batches as I know I can make tons of other things the next day! These look so delicious, I got almost all the ingredients so planning on making these tom for breakfast!

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    1. Ami, I feel just like that. I love a small batch probably mainly so I can cook/bake more often! : ) Hope you make them and enjoy it! Thank you!

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  4. I've definitely been craving all kinds of comfort foods this winter. These spelt biscuits look so delicious! I love how wholesome they are and the smaller batch sounds perfect for our family too :)

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    1. I do love a small batch recipe, Kelly! : ) And this winter - it is getting colder and colder here! You stay warm and keep that oven on! ; )

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  5. I came across your blog while looking for some cookies recipes and liked a lot. How amazing! I will keep an eye out for all your recipes :)

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  6. My favourite grain! I would love it with my cauliflower soup for the dinner :-))

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  7. I've never tried spelt flour before. These biscuits look totally amazing and I am drooling over that chicken-fried steak!

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    1. I am sure you could give me some lessons on how to fry, Christin. My steaks were on the dark side...I can never get it just right and it's doubly hard when I'm doing more than one thing at a time. That said, it all turned out alright and those biscuits were done at the same time so easy peasy. Have a great weekend!

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  8. I really want to work with spelt flour and these might be the recipe that I start that with! BTW I am eating a scone right now! :P

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    1. Ahh...I imagine you have the best meals and snacks around you, Lorraine! :) Spelt is very easy to like.

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  9. Hi Monica, these biscuits look delicious, I love the nutty taste of spelt flour.

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    1. Yes, it's really easy to incorporate into our regular baking, I think...thanks, Cheri.

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  10. Monica, you are a bad, bad girl. Dude!...these are totally speaking my food love language. And you serving them next to that chicken fried steak and that amazing looking gravy? You are killing me!!!

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    1. Oh yes - all about the balance. Whole grain biscuits with homemade chicken fried steak is totally okay, particularly when it's freezing out and we just all need comfort food! ; )

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  11. I need to find some spelt flour and try these. I love the small batch- no leftovers to tempt me later! They look so good with that chicken fried steak, but I bet they'd be good with a bowl of soup too! :)

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    1. Small batch really works for me, too. Spelt is like a really mild, slightly nutty-sweet flour. It is easy to work with. And yes - some soup would be great with this!

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  12. You know I love a nice rustic baked good :) These look so perfect for a lazy weekend brunch.

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    1. Less-fussed with, the better in cases like this. : ) I love a good brunch, Bianca.

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  13. I totally relate to falling in love with a simple biscuit. I love bready baked goods, so I love seeing these beautiful spelt biscuits!

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    1. I know it! Took me ages to stop making a meal out of the bread basket when eating out. A whole grain biscuit like this works for me these days.

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  14. I crave things like healthy biscuits sometimes, too! I'm a total bread freak so that's probably why. Love these!

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  15. These look so good! I wonder why I have never use spelt flour before. I also notice buttermilk in the recipe, something which is in my fridge at the moment nearing expiry. If I can get spelt flour tomorrow I may make these. Your post is too tempting:-)

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    1. Sonali, I am constantly on a mission to use up ALL of my buttermilk when I buy a carton! Luckily, I have a healthy list of recipes for it these days. : )

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  16. Your biscuits sound great, and I love the rustic look too. I haven't baked with spelt flour but I'd love to try sometime!

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    1. I think rustic things just look approachable, right, Beth? Spelt was one of those whole grains I heard about and heard about and finally tried. It is very easy to incorporate and mild.

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  17. I love how rustic and hearty these biscuits look! I need to use spelt flour more often.

    And I love how you balanced out the chicken fried steak with these :) Hope you had a wonderful weekend!!

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    1. It's easy to sneak some spelt into so many things! Thanks for noticing my attempt at 'balance', Ashley. haha

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  18. How did i miss these in the last issue of CL?! Spelt flour is definitely one of my favorite whole grain flours to bake with. These look so light and fluffy!

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    1. It's there! CL is one of my favorite magazines...tons of ideas, so much content. I really liked the texture of these.

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  19. GREAT texture. I love spelt - have to give these delicious biscuits a try!

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    1. I now understand why so many people love spelt. Thanks! :)

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  20. Spelt is a great flour! I love using it in all kinds of cakes and cookies, makes you less guilty about eating them! I love CL magazine too, they have some great lighter recipes which are wonderful to have once in a while. Love these hearty and rustic biscuits!

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    1. It doesn't always work out but isn't it great when we find healthier alternatives/ingredients that turn out tasty so we don't feel like we're sacrificing?! I feel like there are so many more options and information out now that we're all eating a bit differently and it's a good movement. I just always make room for treats. ; )

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  21. I crave delicious flaky biscuits all the time!! I've never used spelt flour, but I'm very intrigued by it! These look perfect for breakfast :)

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    1. This is a tasty and healthier alternative, Isadora. Hope you give it a try one day.

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  22. That meal does look tasty ;) I trust your judgement on new and unusual flours, Monica, since you introduced me to White Whole Wheat flour... so I might have to give these a try, hehe.

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    1. To me, spelt is very similar to white WW flour, Amy. If anything, I would say spelt is even milder, closer to white flour. If you're okay with white ww, I'm pretty confident you would be good with spelt! And I have YOU to thank for introducing me to wheat berries, not to mention your mom's meatloaf so thank you! : )

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  23. Yet to try spelt but these look super good!

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    1. So many things to try, right?! It's a good whole grain flour that's easy to like. : )

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  24. Mmmm biscuits with chicken fried steak (: Yes, it is indeed all about balance; the biscuits look so comforting and yummy...now I'm hungry haha

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  25. I just recently bought white spelt flour. I haven't baked with it yet, and I know little of spelt - only that they are related to wheat but they are "unmodified" - so no gluten (am I right that spelt is gluten-free?)

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    1. Actually, from what I've read, spelt is not gluten free but it is said to be more easily digested than other wheat flours. Luckily, I don't have gluten intolerance but I love exploring these whole grain flours...they often work just as well and I sometimes like them even more than regular white flour.

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  26. A simple but delicious recipe I am glad you have decided to share with us.

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