Candles & Clouds...

Biscuits that is!  Another recipe from the little red box... and a simple table centerpiece.

Recipe:

This dough can be kneaded and rolled out for cut-out biscuits, or with a little additional milk, can be made in to drop biscuits.  (The drop biscuits are pictured above)  A note at the top of the recipe card also says: good for shortcake.  Hope you'll give these a try!

Cloud biscuits

2 c. sifted flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. shortening

1 egg (beaten)

2/3 c. milk *

Sift together dry ingredients, cut in shortening.  Combine egg and milk.  Add to mixture all at once.  Stir until dough follows fork around bowl.  Turn out on lightly floured surface.  Knead gently with heel of hand 20 strokes.  Roll dough to 3/4" thickness.  Dip 2" biscuit cutter in flour.  Cut straight through (no twisting).  Place (upside down) on ungreased baking sheet 3/4" apart for crusty biscuits, close for soft biscuits.  May be chilled 1-3 hours if desired.  Bake at 450` for 10-14 min.

* For drop biscuits increase milk to 3/4 c.  Omit kneading.  Drop dough from teaspoon.  Proceed...  

A few tips:

~ Use parchment paper to line your baking sheet, and you won't have to
    worry about burning (especially if using a dark or non-stick baking sheet).

~ Preheat your oven to 460` until you place your biscuits inside, then reduce
    to 450.  This helps the biscuits rise higher by giving them a 'jump start.'

Enjoy!

Simple centerpiece:

Look for an old tin at thrift stores, antique stores, or yard sales... and fill with pillar candles.  I just have it sitting on a place mat.  I needed to boost 2 of the candles, so I went out to the garage and found 2 small, equal metal plumbing pieces.  My husband never knew he helped decorate!

Found this interesting:

“In the Virginia of the olden time no breakfast or tea-table was thought to be properly furnished without a plate of these indispensable biscuits.....Let one spend the night at some gentleman-farmer's home, and the first sound heard in the morning, after the crowing of the cock, was the heavy, regular fall of the cook's axe, as she beat and beat her biscuit dough.....Nowadays beaten biscuits are a rarity, found here and there, but soda and modern institutions have caused them to be sadly out of vogue.”

 
 ~ ‘Virginia Cookery Book’ (1885)