What could be more divine than waking up to the smell of freshly-baked biscuits? Biscuits are more popular in Europe and these are usually served for breakfast or tea time. But, we had such a pleasant time compiling all these questions about biscuits.

Q: I tried making biscuits for breakfast last Sunday. The biscuits came out hard and they did not rise much. What could I have done wrong? (Diday Cerudo from Pasig)

Adoree: The secret to a flaky and tender biscuit is in the way you handle the dough. Overworked dough results in biscuits that are tough and will not puff or rise as they should. As soon as you have formed the dough, pat and fold the dough just until it is fairly smooth; the dough should not be sticky. Roll out the dough to about half an inch or three quarters of an inch thick. Slice into desired sizes then bake right away.

The patting and folding will help create the layers or flakes you want. You should not overdo this, a few times will suffice. Rolling out the dough with the thickness mentioned will yield nice, thick biscuits. Oven temperature is also a major factor. Biscuits are baked at a higher oven temperature, around 375 F to 425 F, for them to rise.

Jun Jun: For it to not become hard and for it to rise a bit, there should be minimal manipulation. By the way, biscuits are also a classic accompaniment to fried chicken in the Southern states of America.

Q: How do you create flaky biscuits with perfect flat tops? Mine are always rounded on top. Is it alright to brush the top with an egg glaze? (Ida Tinazaz from Bulacan)

Adoree: As you slice the dough and put it in the oven, the dough should already be smooth on top. If you have bumps or ridges on top, these will still be around after you bake the dough. Again, overworking the dough will give you those irregular or rounded tops. Just handle the dough until it is smooth; you want the dough to turn smooth with the least handling possible. Patting and folding should be done at a minimum.

The flakiness would be the result of the cutting in of fat in the beginning of the process, as well as the patting and folding of the dough, so be sure to do these steps properly. Last, you may brush the top with egg wash or milk to help in the browning.

Jun Jun: Creating very clean and smooth biscuit dough after patting it should be taken into consideration when shaping the final product. A good brushing of egg wash will also help in the look and appearance of the biscuit.

Q: What would you flavor your biscuits with? Can I shape them differently? (Joyce Bagtikan from Quezon City)

Adoree: You may incorporate morsels of dried fruits, nuts, and herbs to ‘spice’ up your biscuits. These are added to the dough before you slice and bake the dough. You may also serve the biscuits with clotted cream, cream cheese, or jams. If you want to slice the biscuits into different shapes, go ahead, though traditionally, they are sliced into circles.

Jun Jun: Hi Joyce, yes you can put dried fruit and nuts into the biscuit dough, but it will no longer be the classic biscuit that gets its flavor from the butter that was used.

Q: I find the idea of making biscuits for breakfast too tedious. Can I make the dough in advance then just bake it the following morning? Can I just refrigerate the dough? (Martina dela Cruz from Valenzuela)

Adoree: Yes, you can prepare the dough in advance and just bake it in the morning. You may refrigerate the dough for a few days. I suggest you already cut the dough before you refrigerate it, so that it will be easier for you to just pop it in the oven whenever you want.

Jun Jun: Yes, Martina it can be done. You can immediately bake it even when it is still cold so that it has flakier dough. Correct, it would be better to cut the biscuit dough into the shape that it will be baked in.

Q: My question is about scones and biscuits. How thick should they be before I bake them? Can I still use the scraps of dough after I cut the dough? Why is it that the others are nicer than others after baking? Thanks in advance. (Naty Javier from Makati)

Adoree: You can form the dough to about half an inch to three quarters of an inch thick so that you will end up with more than an inch thick of biscuits and scones. Scraps can still be formed and baked, though more often than not, they come out not as nice as the first batch of biscuits that were formed. This explains why the others would come out nicer or more perfect-looking than the rest. Again, the rule of thumb is, the less overworked the dough is, the more perfect-looking and flakier it is.

Jun Jun: Of course, the size should be just right for eating and It should be shaped properly in accordance with the right amount of time for it to be baked. If it is shaped in a bigger size it will take longer to bake and become too hard to eat. The excess dough from the can still be baked. But, remember not to over pat it since it will become really tough and not tender as how it is supposed to be.

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