I love biscuits. I especially love drop biscuits. There is no fussing about with having to roll anything out. You can just mix everything together and drop them onto the baking sheet.
They also end up with nice craggy crisp bits that I find very morish.
I also adore cornbread. It wasn't something we had when I was growing up, but it was something my mother in law always made. You cannot ask for a better bread to go with beans, unless its brown bread, but I digress.
When I discovered this recipe that combines those two loves, like this Drop Cornbread Biscuit recipe, I could not resist trying it out!!
The original recipe comes from Land O Lakes and makes 8 large or 12 small drop biscuits. I halved the recipe (which is what I am showing you) and the recipe makes four large of 6 small deliciously moreish drop biscuits!!!
My first experience with cornbread was when we visited my mother in law on Prince Edward Island for the first time after my husband and I got married. She called it corncake. You could either bake it in a round or square pan, or as muffins.
I remember my mother in law had to work this one day and she said to my sister in law Linda, who was also there, would she put the corncake in the oven before she got home from work.
Then my sister in law proceeded to go out on her own and told me to bake the corncake. And to do it now, so I did.
When my mother in law got home she was a bit upset because it shouldn't have been baked until just prior to supper, which made me feel really bad. But that sister in law had a habit of dropping me in it if she could. I learned to never trust anything she said or told me to do.
I don't know why some people are like that. I guess we are all different. In any case, the corncake is delicious, but so are these fabulous drop biscuits, speaking of dropping things!
These would make a great last minute bread recipe to bake and serve along with any kind of soup or stew, or even a salad. They would also be great served for breakfast with butter and jam, or along side of your bacon and eggs.
They are quick and easy to make and very tasty! (Even the day after!) It takes between 5 and 10 minutes to throw them together and about 15 to bake. Easy peasy lemon squeasy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Simple every day baking cupboard ingredients. If you are like me you will probably always have these things on hand.
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
In the UK you can use coarse polenta instead of the cornmeal required. You can get cornmeal there, but usually only through an American grocery supply store such as Skyco. That's where I used to get it when I lived there, plus a few other odds and bobs.
Don't worry if you haven't got any buttermilk. It is very easy to make your own substitute, which is what I usually do. There are two ways of doing this. The first is to add a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup and fill to the amount of liquid you need. Leave to clabber for five minutes and then use.
The second is to mix together equal parts of plain yogurt and milk to make up the measure of buttermilk you are needing to use. Easy peasy and this is my favorite method here.
HOW TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Again, nothing could be simpler. The hardest bit is incorporating the butter, but you can easily do that with a pasty blender or two knives. Don't be tempted to rub it in by hand as you will melt the butter and you don't want to do that.
Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet. (Leave space in between for spreading.)Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.Remove from the oven and serve warm.
And that's it! Just look at all those crispy craggy bits. Inside they have the perfect crumb, with just a touch of crunchiness from the use of the cornmeal. Lots of lovely buttery flavor.
I enjoyed one of these with my dinner and quite cheekily I enjoyed one later on with some butter and honey. Oh boy was it ever some good. I froze the last two for another time. They will keep, tightly wrapped for about six months.
To use simply reheat gently in a warm (not hot) oven.
Since biscuits are my favorite thing you will find no shortage of biscuit recipes here in my English Kitchen.
YOGURT BISCUITS WITH CARDAMOM BUTTER - These are as light as a cloud and use only three ingredients. They almost float off the plate. Like an angel's wings or an angel's kiss. They are amazing. That flavored butter is also amazing.
CREAM BISCUITS - Nice and light with a beautiful fluffy texture . . . perfect split and spread with cold butter and honey. They would also be lovely with some ham and mustard, maybe a bit of cheese. (That is the glutton in me talking, lol.)
Yield: 4 large drop biscuitsAuthor: Marie Rayner
Drop Cornbread Biscuits
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 MinThese are light and fluffy with lots of crispy crags and crevices. Deliciously buttery with a fabulous cornbread crunch!Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
- Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.
- Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
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