Flaky Biscuits Recipe

This recipe for flaky biscuits is really foolproof, but each batch you make will be better than the last. Practice really does make perfect in this case. Making biscuits is an art form, a science, and an acquired skill. The two most important factors for making the lightest, flakiest, most delicious biscuits are measuring accurately and handling the dough as little as possible. Gluten development is necessary for the biscuits to have structure, but too much gluten will make them tough. The dough has to stay cold to keep the flour mixture separate from the fat until the biscuits go into the oven. Notice the different ingredients and proportions in this biscuit recipe. The bread flour is necessary because, for flaky layers, you need more gluten, or protein, in the biscuits. Some shortening is used for more tender biscuits; since these biscuits are handled more, they need a different fat combination to make sure they aren't tough. Bread flour biscuits require an especially light hand. Enjoy these easy flaky biscuits right out of the oven, with butter melting into every crevice.