Autumn’s the mellow time. William Allingham
I have a secret crush on Joy the Baker. I mean, does she have a beautiful site or what? If you’re a foodie like I am, you are probably already in the throes of adoration. If not, well maybe you need counseling? Just sayin….
Seriously, I was doing some research about biscuits for my “starring role” on THV11 This Morning recently, when I was hit smack-dab in the face (don’t be concerned if you have no clue about “smack-dab”— it’s a Southern thing, ya’ll — no harm was done) with this Apple Pie Biscuit Challenge from King Arthur Flour and Joy.
Well, I’m definitely not one to turn away from a challenge. The gauntlet was thrown and here I be.
I made three batches before hauling them off to my early (very early) appearance on TV. Each one was better than the prior one, but they were all scarfed down without any complaints. It’s apple pie in a biscuit guys. What’s not to love?
Serve em up for breakfast or dessert or whatever. Just serve em. You’ll thank me later. Trust me.
- 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (Granny Smith also work well.)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups self-rising flour (preferable King Arthur Unbleached)*
- 1/4 cup frozen unsalted butter, grated on the large holes of a box grater, returned to freezer after grating
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2/3 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
- 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts, optional
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack placed in the center of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
- For the apples:**
- Place 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in an iron skillet over medium heat; allow to melt.
- Add in the sliced apples, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and brown sugar; stir to coat the apples and melt the sugar.
- The apples are only warmed and slightly softened, not cooked through; remove from the heat and set aside.
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl; add in the frozen, grated butter
- Using your fingers, quickly break the butter into the flour leaving some bits of butter, about the size of small peas; do not overwork.
- Stir in the granulated sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in 2/3 cup buttermilk. Stir just until combined and holds together well.
- More buttermilk may be added if needed, but the dough should not be a wet mess:)
- Dust a work area with some of the all-purpose flour and spoon the biscuit dough onto the floured surface.
- Use your hands to gather the dough into a large ball and gently pat it into a rectangle.
- Gently the dough into a 7 x 10-inch rectangle approximately 1/2-inch thick.
- Arrange the cooked apples over half of the rectangle; sprinkle the nuts over the apples, if using.
- Cover with the remaining half of the dough using a large spatula to assist. Patch as needed.
- Gently press the edges of the dough together to seal in the apples.
- Press slightly to form a 6 x 8-inch rectangle and cut the dough into 8 equal squares.***
- Place each biscuit onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, approximately 2-inches apart.
- Whisk together the 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
- Brush each biscuit top with beaten egg (may be thinned slightly with water) and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops are golden.
- Serve warm or cool completely and rewarmed slightly before serving.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Variation Cook 2-3 pieces of hickory smoked bacon until crisp; drain and cool. Crumble the bacon into the flour mixture before adding the buttermilk. This works with either the apple or pear filling.
- *Do not use self-rising flour for shaping because it may leave a slightly bitter taste on the surface of the biscuit.
- **These can also be made with pears. Use a firm pear suitable for cooking.
- ***The original recipe called for 12 pieces. I think it works best with 8.
