Small Batch Southern Biscuits

In the past few years the world has gotten smaller.  Living here in Britain, I can get almost any American food I like to eat. Krispy Kreme donuts are available at the local supermarket.  I can even order Moon Pies online.  The one thing that you don't get here in the U.K. is biscuits and sausage gravy.  

Once or twice a year I get a serious craving for biscuits and gravy so I roll my sleeves up and make a small batch of biscuits, mix up some American Breakfast Sausage, and make one of America's favourite breakfast treats, biscuits and gravy.  Today I thought I'd share the Southern Biscuit recipe with you. 

Now, to my readers in the U.K. these may look like scones.  Actually, they pretty much are scones only without the richness of egg and cream found in most scone recipes.  Biscuits are more on the savoury side, traditionally served in the Southern States for at least three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  They make a lovely breakfast sandwich if you add a fried egg, bacon, or sausage.  Eaten with butter and honey, they make a light sweet for the end of a fried chicken dinner.  I love them warm from the oven with strawberry jam.  The only problem is that most recipes make enough to feed a small hay making crew. I've adapted the recipe to make four or five biscuits, just enough for two people.  After all, a biscuit should always be served fresh and warm from the oven.  Here we go...

Small Batch Southern Biscuits

Preheat oven to 200C/400F and butter a small skillet or baking sheet

1 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt (scant 1/2 teaspoon)
4 Tablespoons butter or baking margarine
1/3 cup milk 

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Stir well to combine the dry ingredients.  

Add the butter into the dry ingredients and cut it into the flour mix until it looks like very fine bread crumbs.  (I use a pastry cutter or a fork but you can rub the butter in with your fingers if you like.)

Pour in the milk and stir until all the flour is absorbed resulting in a soft dough.

Dust the work surface with flour, gently knead the dough for a very short time to bring it all together.  Press the dough out to about 3/4 inch thickness and cut into biscuits using a floured cutter.  

Place the biscuits into the buttered skillet and bake for about 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. 

Serve while warm and get ready to 'South your Mouth!'  Get out the butter, jam, honey, and enjoy.  Or you can do like me and used them to 'sop up' your gravy.