Orange Tea Biscuits
Submitted by jennibean
Orange tea biscuits with fresh orange zest, sliced and baked golden in 15 minutes. Tender, lightly citrusy biscuits made for afternoon tea with butter and marmalade.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minThese tea biscuits are the British afternoon tradition done right: a tender, lightly sweet biscuit perfumed with fresh orange zest, ready for the toaster, butter, and a pot of strong tea. Six ingredients, 15 minutes in the oven, and they’re done.
Fresh-grated orange zest is the recipe’s everything. A single tablespoon of zest, scraped with a microplane straight from a fresh orange, releases volatile citrus oils that perfume the entire biscuit. Pre-jarred dried zest is no substitute, and skip the juice, this biscuit’s flavor lives in the peel.
The spacing on the baking sheet is the chef’s choice. Set the biscuits 1 inch apart for crusty sides on every biscuit; set them barely touching for soft, pull-apart sides where they meet the neighbor. Both are correct, depending on which you prefer.
Pro Tips
- Use cold vegetable shortening, warm shortening blends into the flour instead of forming flaky pockets
- Cut, don’t twist, the biscuit cutter, twisting seals the layered edges and prevents proper rise
- Pat or roll the dough only as much as needed, overworking turns biscuits tough
- Brush the tops with milk or melted butter before baking for golden, glossy crowns
- Serve warm with butter and orange marmalade or strawberry jam
Variations
- Substitute lemon or grapefruit zest for orange for a different citrus profile
- Add a tablespoon of sugar to the dough for a slightly sweeter biscuit
- Stir in a quarter cup of dried cranberries for festive holiday biscuits
Ingredients
Directions
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into mixing bowl.
Cut in shortening with a pastry blender, blending it until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal.
Add orange rind. Stirring in with a fork, add enough milk to make soft dough, or until flour leaves sides of bowl and follows fork; continue stirring until all flour disappears.
Turn out on board, knead lightly for about ½ minute.
Turn smooth side up and pat dough or roll ½ inch thick, cut with floured biscuit cutter.
Transfer biscuits to a greased baking sheet; place 1 inch apart if crusty biscuits are desired, or barely touching each other for softer biscuits with less crust.
Bake at 450℉ (230℃). for 12 to 15 minutes.
Serve warm biscuits with jam and/or butter if desired.
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