(Non-) Buttermilk Biscuits, Gluten-Free, naturally Egg-Free (can be made Dairy-Free)

(http://artofglutenfreebaking.com)

adapted from a recipe by Dorie Greenspan

Special equipment needed:

-2" biscuit cutter

-Silpat mat (for rolling out dough)

Ingredients

-2 C. Jeanne's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Mix

-2 TBL. aluminum-free double-acting baking powder

-1/4 tsp. baking soda

-1 TBL sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

6 TBL (3 oz) cold unsalted butter (or butter replacement), cut into pieces (I've used Earth Balance margarine w/good results)

3/4 C. cold milk (you can use soy milk here) with 1 TBL cider vinegar mixed in (I've used Pacific Low Fat Plain soy milk w/good results)

tapioca flour to dip cutter in

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F--let oven get nice and hot

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.

-drop butter pieces into flour mixture and cut them in with a pastry cutter (or rub it into the flour with your fingers) until it looks like sand mixed with pebbles (the larger bits are OK to leave--this adds to the flakiness)

-add the milk/vinegar mixture--mix with a large spoon for a couple of turns

-then use your hand to incorporate the milk the rest of the way. Only do this until just incorporated--don't handle the dough too much and try not to melt the butter--the cold butter is what makes the biscuits flaky

-turn out dough onto a Silpat mat or a surface sprinkled with tapioca flour

-lightly roll dough into a circle about 1/2" thick

Note: don't press too hard, you don't want to squish the dough! It should feel light and pillowy

Use the 2" biscuit cutter (dipped into tapioca flour) to cut out dough and put the rounds onto prepared baking sheet. Treat these rounds gently and with care.

Note: It's imperative that the cutter is floured each time before you use it because you don't want to squish the sides of the biscuits. This helps the biscuits rise as high as possible. Please note that you want to pay particular attention to this step if using dairy-free ingredients. Your dairy-free biscuits won't rise as high as dairy biscuits (they will rise about 1/4"), but you can help them greatly by treating the dough well and using a cutter dipped in tapioca flour before each cut. Seriously--you will see a definite difference!

-keep regathering, rolling, and cutting the dough (gently, gently) until you've used all the dough (I get about 10-11 rounds)

-Bake for 17-18 minutes (until light brown on top)

Take out of oven and let cool. These are delicious hot from the oven! I like them with a little unsalted butter...