Want a little taste of heaven with your dinner? Try these 'angel biscuits'

I loved biscuits when growing up. Mom used different recipes, some of which included Bisquick. I was never a biscuit aficionado so I didn't know any different.

Then one day these cloud-like pillows emerged from Mom's oven. She called them "angel biscuits."

My biscuit world had opened up. I believe they were heaven-sent. In fact, she says, the recipe came from one of the saints who went before us, Miss Lib.

These biscuits are a cross between a dinner roll and a biscuit. They are soft and pillowy, and yet they are tender with a crisp top and bottom. The layers of a traditional biscuit are definitely intact, providing the foundation for butter, jam or something savory like ham and cheese. Simple yet delicious, never hard or hockey-puck-ish.

Unlike most biscuit recipes, angel biscuits include yeast. You let the dough rise overnight. A benefit of that is not having to do all the work in one day. You can mix the dough one day and put it in the fridge and bake them the next day, or just bake a few at a time. The dough keeps just fine up to five days, making this recipe do-ahead-worthy.

Angel biscuit recipes have been around a long time, but I haven't heard anybody talk about them. I think it's time to revisit these dreamy cloud-like yet crisp on the outside pillows of goodness. They pair well with almost any meal. And there is no shame in having them as an appetizer or snack any time. I personally prefer them straight out of the oven.

Angel Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 5 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon. baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2  tsp. salt

• 1 teaspoon plus 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1/2 cup warm water (between 100-110 degrees)

• 1 package active dry yeast

• 1 stick or 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

• 1/2 cup cold shortening, cubed

• 1/4 cup melted butter, divided

• 2 cups  whole buttermilk

Stir together warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Let stand five minutes.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and remaining sugar in a large bowl; cut cold butter and shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender, or two forks, until crumbly.

Add yeast mixture and buttermilk to flour, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Cover with lid or plastic wrap, chill at least two hours or up to five days.

Preheat the oven to 400. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface, and knead three or four times. Gently roll into a half-inch thick circle.

Cut the biscuits with a 2-inch round cutter,* re-roll remaining scraps and cut with cutter. Place rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush top of biscuits with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush with remaining melted butter and serve.

Cook's notes: I store my shortening in the freezer. It doesn’t get so hard you can't cut it. In fact it's pretty easy to cut.

*When cutting biscuits, use a cutter with a sharp edge. You want to avoid smashing the edges down when you cut them. The edges won't rise, but you have a nice rise in the middle. Use a straight down motion, no twisting. Of course a square cookie cutter will work, or a bench scraper. Whatever you use, dip it into flour before each cut.

Here's a quick and easy recipe to complement your dinners this spring

Melinda Malott of Williamsport is a self-taught baker and cook. Follow her on Instagram @Melindaluvs2bake.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: 'Angel biscuits' are the perfect recipe to complement any meal