The Art of Biscuit-Making - Cooks Illustrated

Published May 1, 1993.

Biscuits can be soft and fluffy or flaky and high-rising. Each type requires surprisingly different ingredients and techniques.

The Problem

Contrary to popular belief, all biscuits are not created equal. There are, in fact, different types of biscuits, each with its own heavenly attributes. More often than not, though, all biscuits are made the same and disappoint in exactly the same way.

The Goal

Our goal was twofold: to identify the distinct differences between fluffy biscuits and flaky biscuits and to understand how specific ingredients, mixing technique, dough shaping, and baking combine to create a perfect fluffy or flaky biscuit.

The Solution

Indeed, there are fine points to biscuit making, but the whole process begins with the answer to this simple question: What kind of biscuit do you like best? Soft and fluffy or flaky and tall? After that, there is a specific recipe and technique that will render the desired outcome--not just one time, but time after time.

list of recipes

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.