Tuesdays with Dorie: Sweet Potato Biscuits

Homemade biscuits are an uncommon treat at my house.  If we have biscuits, they usually come from a can.  Hate to admit it but it’s true.  Something about peeling those layers.  It’s a childhood behaviour I’ve been unable to outgrow.  Right up there with splitting oreo cookies and licking the icing, v-e-r-y slowly.  I have given up making little balls out of fresh white bread though.  Just so you don’t think I was totally raised in a barn.

These colorful, flaky biscuits will perk up any buffet or holiday table.  They beg for a piece of ham and mustard to make a mini sandwich. Or go the sweet route and spread honey or jelly on a split biscuit.

I’m always looking for an easier, quicker way of cooking or baking that doesn’t compromise flavor and gives predictable results. Call it a “short cut” if you want, but I prefer to call it progress.

Here is my method for mixing and kneading biscuits. I use the same process with pie dough.

1. Cut the fat into the flour with a pastry cutter.  A fork will work too.  I’m not so good with my fingers but I’m not averse to the food processor. Just don’t like to get it dirty for a small batch.
2. Use a fork to lightly blend in sweet potatoes but not too much.
3. Pour very crumbly mixture onto well floured cloth tea towel or pastry cloth.  (Avoid terry cloth towels.)
4. Put  hands underneath the towel and wrap it around the mixture pressing it together into a homogeneous ball. Warm hands need never touch the dough which equals a flakier end product and no sticky mess.
5. Leaving the dough ball on the towel, roll or press it out.  After cutting the biscuits, it’s easy to lift up the cloth and flip the biscuits into the hand and  quickly onto a cookie sheet.
6. Shake the towel out and throw it in the washer.  Your counter is clean with very little mess to clean up.

I wish these would have been more homogenous.   Didn’t want to overmix. Perhaps a slight brush of butter on top would have helped. My mama always said, “Looks aren’t everything,” but when it comes to food, it’s close to the top.

Curious to try them for yourself? Get the recipe here from www.prudencepennywise.