Sweet Tea Biscuits

 

My next entry for “Sweet Tea Week” is none other than a tribute to this sites namesake.  Well part of it.

It’s no secret that I love biscuits.  Hence,  one of my previous blogpost about, you guessed it!  Buttermilk Biscuits.  Here is a link to it in case you missed it before:  http://babiesandbiscuits.com/buttermilk-quick-biscuits#more-564 .  I have already proclaimed this at the top of my lungs and will continue to FOR – E- VER!  (Remember that part in the movie, “The Sandlot”?  Where Squints tells the story and he says,”FOR-E-VER”!) ?????  That is the kind of forever I mean.

Anyway, moving on…..

I wanted to do a biscuit, but REALLY wanted to incorporate Sweet Tea somehow.  I decided to use Paula Deen’s Buttermilk Yeast Biscuits as a base and then I tweaked it.

SO!  This is what I did:

I must say, they turned out pretty nice.

First, I boiled 1 cup water and then added 3 Family Size tea bags.

I allowed them to steep for 10 minutes, every so often pressing and flattening them out so that the liquid could get really concentrated. 

Then I added 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whisked until all the sugar was dissolved.  You won’t use all of this, but don’t throw it away.  We are going to use it again later.

Once the tea/sugar mixture had cooled to a “lukewarm” state, I added a packet of dry yeast to 1/2 cups of it and allowed it to dissolve.  Then set it aside.

I combined all my dry ingredients (Flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder) in my large “biscuit making” bowl.

Added 3/4 cup of shortening.

Then started to “cut” it in. 

Made a “well” in the center.

Poured in 2 cups Low-fat Buttermilk.

Added the yeast/tea mixture.

And mixed.  Don’t worry if your dough seems lumpy like this.  It will change.

I turned my dough out onto a floured surface.

 

I folded my dough over a few times and worked out the lumps.  You may need to flour the top of the dough to help you do this.

 

Then I rolled the dough out to the thickness I wanted.  I wanted these thick, so I did about an inch thick.  (Remember, they will rise.) 

I cut my biscuits out with a biscuit cutter but you can definitely use any object with a circular opening.  Glasses work great.  Just remember to flour first so it won’t stick.

Then I baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Brushed tops with melted butter and voila!   BUT WAIT!  We aren’t finished!

To serve it, I opened the biscuit, slathered with butter…..

And remember the tea liquid I said we would use again???  Well, I drizzled it over it and OH MY!  SO SO GOOD!

Very happy with how these turned out!

ENJOY! 

 

 

 

Recipe:  Sweet Tea Biscuits

 

Ingredients:

– 1 cup water

– 3 Family Size Tea Bags

– 1/4 cup sugar

– 1  (1/4 oz) package yeast

– 5 cups all-purpose flour

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1 tablespoon baking powder

– 2 tablespoons sugar

– 3/4 cup solid shortening ( I used Crisco)

– 2 cups Low-fat Buttermilk

 

Directions:

– Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

– Bring 1 cup water to a boil and then add tea bags.

– Remove from heat and allow the tea bags to steep for 10 minutes, pressing and flattening them out occasionally.

– Remove tea bags and add 1/4 cup sugar and whisk until completely dissolved.  Allow mixture to cool to a “luke warm” state.

– Take 1/2 cup of tea/sugar mixture in a seperate bowl and add package of dry yeast to mixture and allow to dissolve.  Set aside.

– Do not throw out remaining tea mixture as you will use it later.

– In a seperate large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together.

– Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles pea sized coarse crumbles.

– Make a well in center of bowl and add both the buttermilk and yeast.  Mix well until dough starts to form.

– Dough may appear “lumpy”.  That is ok because you will work it out of it.

– Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll out to desired thickness.

– Cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter or circular shaped object, remembering to flour first as the cutter may stick to dough if you dont.

– Place biscuits on greased baking sheet or cast iron griddle pan.

– Bake at 400 degrees for 12- 15 minutes or until golden brown.

– Brush tops with melted butter.

To serve:

– Open biscuit, slather with butter and spoon the reserved concentrated tea mixture over biscuit.

Enjoy your sweet treat!