Recipe: Sour Cream, Orange, and Lavender Biscuits

Recipes title

Sour Cream, Orange,
and Lavender Biscuits

I like to serve these delicate biscuits with honey butter and wedges of just-picked oranges from my neighbors prolific orange tree. Use fresh blossoms if you're lucky enough to have access to a lavender bush, or look for dried blossoms at a natural foods or spice store. Rosemary may be substituted.

12 to 14 biscuits

2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
4 or more tablespoons finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons chopped lavender blossoms or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
about 1-1/4 cups sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil one large or two average baking sheets.

Stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, orange zest, and lavender in a large bowl. Gradually stir in enough sour cream to form a sticky dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured board. Knead by gently folding the dough in half a dozen times or so until it no longer sticks to the board. Roll or press it into a 1/2-inch thickness.

Use a cookie cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 2-inch rounds. Place them on the prepared sheet, and bake them until lightly browned, about 12 minutes.

Freeze any unbaked biscuits on a tray or baking sheet and then transfer them to an airtight container. When ready to bake, place them on baking sheets, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, and bake as directed.

Do Ahead: Mix the dough, cut out the biscuits, and refrigerate them on the baking sheets, covered with a cotton dish towel.

In The Morning (About 15 To 20 Minutes): Preheat the oven and bake as directed.

From: Breakfast in Bed
by Jesse Cool
1997, HarperCollins Publishers
$19.95 hardcover
Reprinted by permission.