sour cream and chive fantails

 

from smitten kitchen

DOUGH
6 tablespoons (90 grams) warm water (about 115°F)
1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast (from a 1/4-ounce or 7-gram packet)
1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, melted
3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
ASSEMBLY
4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Two pinches fine sea salt
Flour for dusting
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish


1. In stand mixer bowl: whisk water, sugar, yeast and let stand for 5 minutes

2. Whisk in sour cream, egg, butter until smooth

3. Add flour and salt

4. Switch to dough hook for 1-2 minutes until it comes together (add 1 more tbsp water only if needed)

5. Reduce speed to low, let dough hook mix for 5 minutes

6. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer dough to it, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 90-120 minutes until doubled

7. Brush muffin tin with melted butter

8. Combine onion powder, garlic powder, and a few pinches of salt in a small dish

9. Turn dough out onto floured counter, divide in half, sprinkle with flour and roll first half to 12" square

10. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with half of onion/garlic mixture, and half of chives

11. Cut square into 6 equal strips, then stack them butter sides up and then cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces

12. Turn each stack on its side and put into muffin cup

13. Repeat with remaining half of dough

14. Separate outer layers to sort of fan outward

15. Let rise again for one hour

16. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until center of each is at 200 degrees

17. As soon as removed from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chives and flaky salt

18. Transfer rolls to rack and cool for 10 minutes

Do ahead: You can pause this recipe for an overnight chill in the fridge either after you mix the dough and before it doubles or after you put the squares into your tins. Remove from the fridge and let them come back to room temperature (and finish rising, if necessary) before continuing. If rolls are already baked, rewarm for 5 to 10 minutes in the oven (any temperature from 300°F to 400°F will be fine.)

buttermilk biscuits

From Smitten Kitchen 

2 1/4 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons to 1 1/2 tablespoons (10 to 20 grams) sugar (to taste)
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
9 tablespoons (125 grams) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
3/4 cup (175 ml) buttermilk

Heat oven to 400 °F and cover baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large, wide bowl. 

Using fingertips or a pastry blender, work butter into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal

Add buttermilk and stir until large, craggy clumps form. 

Reach hands into bowl and knead mixture briefly until it just holds together.

To form biscuit rounds: Transfer dough to floured counter and pat out until 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick (err on the thin side if uncertain, as the tall ones will literally rise and then tip over, like mine did the day I photographed these). 

Using a round cutter (2 inches for regular sized biscuits, 3 inches for the monstrous ones shown above), press straight down — twisting produces less layered sides — and transfer rounds to prepared sheet, spacing two inches apart.

Bake until biscuits are golden brown on top, about 12 to 15 minutes.

 
Do ahead: Biscuits are best freshly baked. When I want to plan ahead, I make the biscuit dough and form the individual biscuits, then freeze them until needed. They can be baked directly from the freezer, will just need a couple more minutes baking time.