Easy To Make Sourdough Biscuits Recipe - Lauren Nicole Jones (2024)

FAQs

Why are my sourdough biscuits flat? ›

Why are my sourdough biscuits flat? Most likely it is the result of old baking powder and/or baking soda. If these ingredients are not fresh, then they may not rise the dough as much or at all.

Bakers use what is called the rule of 240 to get temperatures right. If the dough is too cold, it will rise very slowly, if it is too hot it might rise quickly, it might have off tastes, and if it gets way too hot it might not rise at all.

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour.

Despite all the mysticism and lore about creating the concoction, a sourdough starter is merely a naturally fermenting mixture of flour and water. Add water to dry flour, let it sit on the counter for a few days, and you'll see nature weave life into a once lifeless lump: bubbles will appear and the mixture will rise.

A hot oven helps biscuits bake—and rise—quickly. We recommend 475˚F for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven as soon as they are lightly brown.

Keeping the lid on for the first part of baking allows steam to expand between the gluten fibers to rise the bread and create a fluffy loaf. Step 4: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden brown. Once you take the lid off, the bread likely won't rise anymore.

If you don't want to put the dough in the fridge for a cold ferment, you can leave it to proof on the counter for a little while. You do need to be careful not to let it over ferment. Ideally, you want the temperature to be on the cooler side (no more than 21C / 69.8F). Let the dough relax into the banneton.

If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin. I would say that more often or not I underproof my dough, I live on what I consider to be, the “safe” side.

For sourdough, we simply cannot used instant dried yeast, as a complex, homegrown culture of both yeast and lactobacillus is the only way to provide that defining sour flavor. If you have flour and water, you have enough to maintain your own colony. The tricky part is jump starting the culture.

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Can I use tap water for sourdough starter? ›

Myth 2: Sourdough starter requires fancy water

The key to sourdough starter success is using water without chlorine, which can cause the starter to die. While bottled water is chlorine-free, you can also use filtered tap water for our sourdough starter recipe.

Two that you want to avoid when it comes to your sourdough starter is distilled or reverse osmosis water. This type of water lacks the beneficial minerals and bacteria that your sourdough starter will thrive on. Instead, use filtered tap water or bottled spring water.

To keep your sourdough starter healthy, you need to provide it with fresh flour and water on a schedule. Each time you refresh (feed) your starter, you must discard some of the fully-fermented mixture in the jar. Discarding helps keep the acidity low in your sourdough culture, which keeps it strong and healthy.

It's difficult to know which sourdough starters are actually the oldest. Blackley's sourdough starter, created from 4,500 year-old yeast, is considered the oldest sourdough starter, per Oldest. Other starters like the Saint Honoratus Wheat also are quite old.

If you're into baking or you've jumped on the sourdough band wagon you'll have heard people talking about their mother dough, a lot. Mother dough, also known as pre-ferment or sourdough starter, is the basis of a loaf of bread.

Overworking the dough will not only create a tough biscuit instead of a tender biscuit, but can also result in a flatter biscuit. The more you play with the dough, the warmer the dough becomes. If the fat becomes too warm it will melt into the flour and they won't rise as tall.

Flour types

You will still get a semi-open crumb and a very likeable sourdough, but if your heart desires a taller loaf, try using 50% wheat flour with 50% rye flour or 50% spelt flour to give a little 'boost' to your sourdough.

The Fix: Chilling the Dough

Refrigerate the remaining dough until it feels firm to the touch, one to two hours. This chills the butter, so it won't spread rapidly in the oven. Although your cookies won't be as fluffy as they might have been, they won't turn into pancakes.

So don't leave your dough in a warm oven, on a radiator or in sunlight. It will likely be too warm and will dry out your dough too. Instead, find a cosy spot, with no drafts, for your dough to rise. And, if your sourdough starter is struggling to get going, consider finding it a warmer spot too.