Renee’s Favorite Recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits!

March 21, 2011 at 5:41 pm (recipe for baking powder biscuits)
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So, You Have to Learn Baking Without Yeast!

In my humble opinion, if I had to incorporate baking without yeast into my lifestyle, I would prefer to have a nice basket of warm-from-the-oven biscuits on my table (using “Renee’s Favorite Recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits”) rather then a plate of sliced white bread taken out of a plastic bag.  How about you?

Of course, I’m prejudiced.  Biscuits are one of my favorite foods.  This recipe for baking powder biscuits I’m going to share with you is one I got when I was taking Home Economics during my Sophomore Year in High School.  I won’t tell you how long ago that was!

recipe for baking powder biscuits

Yummy Biscuits!

I remember during my first pregnancy I had some problems and really had to watch what I ate during the last month or so.

After giving birth and returning home, the very first meal I cooked included my biscuits.  Actually, I wasn’t real savvy about nutrition back then, so I’ll tell you what I craved – and fixed:  Meat Loaf, Baked Potatoes, Corn, and my Biscuits.

Nowadays, none of thosse items are part of my diet.  Except for the occasional pan of biscuits!

Baking Without Yeast is Necessary if You Have a Yeast Intolerance

If you have a yeast intolerance and have to learn baking without yeast, you could do no better than to make these biscuits a staple for your family.  They’re good for breakfast, with creamed tuna at lunch, and at dinner with just about any main dish.  They’re even good for strawberry shortcake!

I have changed this recipe a little since High School.  I now use oil instead of hydrogenated vegetable shortening in my recipe and I haven’t noticed the difference. If you prefer shortening, the quantity is the same, just exchange shortening for the oil.  I use a real light oil with no discernible flavor.  I tried extra virgin olive oil because it’s so healthy, but just didn’t like the flavor.

RENEE’S FAVORITE RECIPE FOR BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of all-purpose flour (I don’t sift the flour.  I just fluff it up in the sack and spoon it lightly into my measuring cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 TABLESPOON Baking Powder

1/4 cup oil

2/3 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F

2.  Mix all the dry ingredients together

3.  Add the oil and, using a whisk or pastry blender, incorporate the oil into the dry ingredients

4.  Stir in the milk a little at a time until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl

5.  Dump the dough onto a floured pastry board or counter top and knead for a minute until it’s all smooth

6.  Roll about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick and cut with a floured biscuit cutter or the top of a glass

7.  Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for about 20 minutes, until the tops and bottoms are a light golden brown

8.  If you want to use the biscuits for strawberry shortcake and want the dough a little sweeter, you can add 2 TABLESPOONS of sugar to the dry ingredients.  Roll them out 1/2″ thick and cut the same as above.

Enjoy!  You won’t even miss baking without yeast when you use “Renee’s Favorite Recipe for Baking Powder Biscuits” instead!

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Baking Without Yeast!

March 14, 2011 at 10:37 pm (baking without yeast)
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HOW HARD IS BAKING WITHOUT YEAST?

When faced with a yeast intolerance, know as candidiasis, the first thing we suspect we must give up is baked goods that contain yeast.

This is the hardest thing for a lot of people to do because yeast breads and rolls are such an important part of our diets and baking without yeast is a complete mystery.

Baking Without Yeast – Some Delicious Choices

There are, however, a lot of alternatives.  Many wonderful breads can be found at ethnic stores and they are quite delicious.  Here’s a short selection of recipe ideas from different cultures that you will enjoy.

Not all of them require baking without yeast – some are deep fried, some are fried in a skillet or on a grill, and some are baked.  But none of them used yeast in the first place.

MEXICO

Corn Tortillas
Flour Tortillas
Mexican Corn Bread
Sonoran Fry Bread
Sopaipillas (Fried Biscuit Puffs)

INDIA

Roti/Chapati
Parantha
Poori

MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA

Simit(Turkey)
Moroccan Harcha (Harsha) – Semolina Pan Fried Flatbread

AMERICAN

Biscuits
Corn Bread

FRANCE

Crepes

AMERICAN INDIAN

Navajo Fry Bread

These are just the tip of the iceburg.  If you search online you will find hundreds of “bread” recipes that don’t use yeast and that are wonderfully delicious.  Baking without yeast is a whole new world to explore and discover tastes and textures you didn’t know existed.

But, I want dinner rolls!

Ok, I hear you.  Here is a recipe for dinner rolls that you can try.  Let me know what you think!

Yeast Free Bread Rolls

These “rolls” are more like muffins, but they satisfy the need for something nice to serve with your meals.  Vary the herbs for different flavors, or experiment with using fresh chopped herbs instead of dried.  Yummy!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups organic unbleached flour

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon oregano1 teaspoon cilantro

1 teaspoon vinegar (add with the water)

1-1/2 cups spring water

DIRECTIONS

1.  Have all ingredients at room temperature

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F for at least 30 minutes

3.  Grease the 9 cups of a cupcake tin, or line each one with a cupcake paper cup

4.  Sift the flour and then resift with the other dry ingredients

5.  Stir in whichever herbs you have chosen – try some chopped garlic!

6.  Add the water and mix – but, like muffins, don’t overmix

7.  Divide evenly into the 9 cups8.  Bake for about 25 minutes

I just made a batch using 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning and 1 teaspoon Chili Powder in place of the herbs, and I baked it for just under 25 minutes in an oiled  cake pan and then sliced it into triangles.  It was very good!

You could also experiment with different flours such as whole wheat flour, or semolina flour.  I’ve really come to like working with semolina flour and will have some recipes for you soon.

Hope these work for you.  They’re definitely not yeast raised dinner rolls, but they are very good, and when you have to do your baking without yeast – well, I can think of a lot of worse alternatives!

I’m experimenting with a yeast substitute and will keep you posted on my progress.

Bon appetite!
Renee

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