Reduced-fat Biscuit Mix

By deanarrca

Ingredients

• 6 cups unbleached white flour
• 1-1/2 teasspoons salt
• 2-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/3 or 1/2 cup shortening (see Note)

Preparation

Step 1

Begin by getting out a very large bowl. Measure the flour into the bowl. Add the salt and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients together so that the salt and baking powder are evenly distributed throughout the flour. Measure in the shortening. Use a standard 1/3 or 1/2-cup measure and pack it all the way full with shortening. Level off the top with a knife. Now scrape the fat into the bowl of flour. Your fingers will get greasy. That's all right, you can wash them in a few minutes. Using your hands, mash the shortening into the flour. Continue mixing and mashing until the mixture has a consistency similar to store-bought biscuit mix. Transfer the mixture to a clean coffee can. This recipe makes 7 cups of mix. Each serving is 1/3-cup.

NOTE: This biscuit mix can be made with either 1/3-cup or 1/2-cup of shortening. When made with 1/3-cup shortening it's nutritional information is almost identical to Reduced-Fat Bisquick®. The quality of the mix made with 1/3-cup shortening is not quite as good as when it is made with 1/2-cup shortening. It is still very good though, and I heartily recommend it to anyone watching both their budget and wasitline. Average consumers don't have access to the same fat replacers and other chemicals that food manufacturers do. For this reason the lower fat version of this recipe gives slightly different results than Reduced-Fat Bisquick®. The biscuits and muffins made with the 1/3-cup shortening-version of this mix are a tiny bit tougher than those made with Reduced-Fat Bisquick®. It is an extremely close copy though, and most people won't notice any difference in their cooking results.

For those willing to add a few more calories to their biscuit mix, the version using 1/2-cup of shortening gives superior results. The biscuits made with this variation are much better those made with the name brand mix. The final decision is yours. When preparing the recipes on this website I have used the version made with 1/3-cup of shortening. My reasoning is that folks who are unwilling to make their own biscuit mix can buy Reduced-Fat Bisquick® at the store, prepare the recipes they find here and not worry about getting their hands dirty. The nutritional data for the recipes prepared with either Reduced-Fat Bisquick® or homemade baking mix prepared with 1/3-cup shortening is the same. By the way, preparing your own Reduced-Fat Baking Mix saves at least $2 per batch over the name-brand mix.


Biscuits From Reduced-Fat Biscuit Mix

2 cups homemade Reduced-Fat Biscuit Mix
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk or yogurt (homemade is fine)
Measure the biscuit mix into a medium sized bowl. Add the buttermilk or yogurt. Use a fork to stir the mixture until it forms a soft dough. If the mixture is too dry, you may add a sprinkle or two of tap water for moisture. Gently knead the dough about 10 times. This activates the gluten in the dough just enough, but not too much. Pat the dough out onto a sheet of waxed paper. If you prefer round biscuits then cut the dough with a 2-inch round biscuit cutter or a sturdy glass or cup. If you like square biscuits then shape the dough into a rectangle about 4-inches by 10-inches. Use a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 2-inch squares (2 by 5). Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 425° for about 10 minutes.

Makes 10 servings, 1 biscuit each.

Per Serving: 94 Calories; 2g Fat (20.1% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 215mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fat

Nutritional Information:

Each serving is 1/3-cup.

Per Serving using 1/3 cup shortening: 144 Calories; 3g Fat (20.2% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 326mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fat.

OR

Per Serving using 1/2-cup shortening: 158 Calories; 5g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 326mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Fat.