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Baking Bootcamp: Apple Pie Biscuits

September 10, 2014 by Joy the Baker 113 Comments

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apple pie biscuits

Baking is all about sharing. Sharing recipes, sharing techniques, and most definitely sharing biscuits!

It’s time for our second challenge in the Baking Bootcamp series with King Arthur Flour!  You blew me away by baking the Triple Berry Braided Bread with me for our first challenge.  Hundreds of you participated and made the most lovely loaves of bread studded with summer berries.  I’m so happy you took the time to bake with me! It really means so much.  Let’s do it again, shall we!?

Apple Pie Biscuits

For this month’s Baking Bootcamp Challenge, we’re exploring King Arthur Flour’s Self-Rising Flour.  It’s a wonderfully light white flour combined with non-aluminum baking powder and salt.  It’s absolutely perfect for biscuits, pancakes, and muffins.  It’s a staple in my kitchen when it comes to perfectly fluffy, no-fuss biscuits.  Hop on this bandwagon and let’s get baking!  Below I’ll offer some alternatives for a DIY self-rising flour and a gluten-free option.  I want all of us in biscuit mode!

Here is a reminder of how Baking Bootcamp works:

Four Flours + Four Recipes Challenges + One Instagram #bakingbootcamp

+ Four Awesome Sets of Prizes!

The idea is simple!

• Make these Apple Pie Biscuits (they’re sooo delicious!) and take a picture of your creation!

• Follow @joythebaker and @kingarthurflour on Instagram

• Photograph your beautiful biscuits and post them to Instagram with the hashtag #bakingbootcamp

• When you submit a photo, you’ll be entered to win a one year supply of King Arthur Flour and a Baking Essentials box valued at $250!! Official rules and details can be found here.

I’ll be answering questions and sharing your photographs here on Joy the Baker. By entering the challenge you’ll also have amazing Apple Pie Biscuits in your kitchen, so… you really can’t lose.

Let’s get started!

Baking Bootcamp Essentials II

 1 • King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour is perfectly soft and rolls out beautifully for these tender biscuits.

2 • I use this King Arthur Flour Bench Knife just about everyday in my kitchen. It’s perfect for scraping little dough bits from the countertop… something a sponge just pitifully attacks. You might also use the bench knife to slice though the center of the rolled dough. It’s sharp too! I love this tool!

3 • Kitchen fashion is important to me. Hedley & Bennett understands my needs for a functional, durable, totally chic apron. Not too frilly. I always want to be more badass than 50’s housewife-y in the kitchen.

4 • My Cast Iron Skillets are a staple in my everyday kitchen. Some are more successfully seasoned than others, but I try to keep some cast iron specifically for savory and other just for sweets.

5 • Having Colorful Mixing Bowls is the kitchen equivalent of having a great black dress in your closet. Necessary treat.

6 • Vegetable Peelers with good finger grips to peel apples in a flash!

7 • I inherited a Marble Rolling Pin from a family friend and now I don’t know how I’ve gone without one for so long! This piece has great weight and can be chilled in the refrigerator prior to rolling to keep our doughs more amiable.

8 • Don’t skimp on good Silicone Spatulas. The ones that melt along with the butter are just infuriating.

9 • Is it normal to have a completely mismatched set of Measuring Cups, or should I just treat myself to a matching set like this? Don’t answer that…

10 • Same goes for the Measuring Spoons… it’s nice to have a full matching set.

11 • I go through Paring Knives like I go through socks.  How is it possible to have them one day and then lose them the next? I don’t know.  Clearly I have an issue.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Let’s get baking!  #bakingbootcamp

photos in this post by Jon Melendez. 

Apple Pie Biscuits

 This super easy biscuit recipe features King Arthur Flour’s Unbleached Self-Rising Flour.  I encourage you to go buy a bag and experience just how convenient it is!  Self-rising flour has a lower protein content (8.5%) than all-purpose flour (11.7%) because it’s made using a soft wheat flour rather than the hard wheat flour that makes up all-purpose flour.  The lower protein content makes the flour extra light, creating wonderfully tender biscuits.

Self-rising flour also contains non-aluminum baking powder and a dash of salt so we don’t have to deal with measuring spoons and extra additions.

How to make your own Self-Rising Flour: 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Of course, if using all-purpose flour, the protein content will be a bit higher. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

How to make your own Gluten-Free Self-Rising Flour:  1 cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum.

For more on flour, check out Baking 101:  The Difference Between Baking Flours.  

Apple Pie Biscuits

Cold butter is cut into small cubes and added to the flour.  The colder the butter the better!

Apple Pie Biscuits / joy the baker and king arthur flour

Measure out the cold buttermilk before your hands get dirty.

Apple Pie Biscuits / joy the baker and king arthur flour

Using your fingers, break the butter down into the flour.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Quickly press the butter and flour in between your fingers creating little bits of butter throughout the flour.

Apple Pie Biscuits

If you work quickly, breaking down the butter into the flour will take about 4 minutes.  The result will be butter bits that are the size of oat flakes and small peas.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Add granulated sugar.

Apple Pie Biscuits

And stir the mixture together.

If that seems easy, it was!  Baking powder and salt are already in the flour!

Apple Pie Biscuits / joy the baker and king arthur flour

Add the cold buttermilk.

If you’re out of buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk substitute using one of these feisty tips.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Begin to stir the dry ingredients into the buttermilk.

Apple Pie Biscuits

The biscuit dough will feel rather fluffy and wet.

Apple Pie Biscuits

You’re on the right track!  Once all of the dry ingredients are worked into the buttermilk (you may need to add a splash of extra buttermilk), place it in the refrigerator for just a few moments while you make the apple filling.

If you’re using your own homemade self-rising flour or gluten-free self-rising flour, you’ll want to add the full 3/4 cup of buttermilk.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Using either a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel an apple.  I like Fuji apples for this recipe because they’re both crisp and sweet.

Apple Pie Biscuits

This is how my grandmother slices apples (and everything else), and I wonder how old I’ll be when I finally feel comfortable with this move.  Don’t be like me, or my grandmother.  Slice safely.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Add the apple slices to a skillet of melted butter.  Add cinnamon.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Add sugar, too!

Cook the apples down for just a bit to melt the sugar and meld the spices.  The apples won’t be cooked all the way through, but they’ll finish softening in the oven.

Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool while you roll out the dough.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Back to the biscuit dough!

Generously dust a work surface with all-purpose flour.

Apple Pie Biscuits

The dough should be moist but not overly wet.

Onto the floured surface we go!

Apple Pie Biscuits

Knead the dough three or four turns.  We want to create a cohesive dough, but not overwork the dough at all.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Use your hands to shape the dough into rough rectangle shape.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Pat it down to a 1-inch thickness.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Sprinkle a rolling pin with more all-purpose flour.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Begin to roll the dough using a firm and even pressure.  Try to keep the rectangle shape as much as possible.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Roll the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness, about 7 x 10-inches.  Move the dough around the surface a bit to ensure that it’s not sticking; this will become important later when we’re folding the dough.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Time for the apples!

Apple Pie Biscuits

Spread the apples in a mostly even layer across half of the biscuit dough.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Gently fold the dough over the apples.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Use your hands to gently press the seams together.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Use the palms of your hand to nudge and suggest the filled biscuit dough  back into an 8″ x 6″ rectangle rectangle if the edges have rounded a bit.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Be the boss.

A friendly boss, but definitely the boss.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Use a large and sharp knife to cut 12 small biscuits.  Flour the knife a bit if it gets too sticky.

Apple Pie Biscuits / joy the baker and king arthur flour

Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Beat an egg.  Lightly brush the tops of each biscuit, for browning.

Apple Pie Biscuits / joy the baker and king arthur flour

Generously sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Apple Pie Biscuits

Take a coffee break, but be careful that your rolling pin doesn’t roll right off the table.  The biscuits will bake up in about 12 minutes!

Apple Pie Biscuits

Now it’s your turn!  Take on the challenge! Share your beautiful biscuits with us on Instagram #bakingbootcamp. You have until October 11th  to submit your photos to be entered to win a one-year supply of King Arthur Flour and a Baking Essentials Box valued at $250.  Official rules and details here. Leave any questions about the recipe in the comments below and check back here for all of your baking photos!

This post is brought to you by Joy the Baker in partnership with King Arthur Flour.

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Baking Bootcamp: Apple Pie Biscuits

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  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 12 biscuits 1x
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Join King Arthur Flour and Joy the Baker for a second baking challenge. Bake these delicious biscuits, post a picture to instagram with the #bakingbootcamp between September 10th – October 10th for a chance to win a year of free flour from King Arthur Flour and a gift basket of prizes worth $250! Thank you for baking along with us!


Ingredients

Scale

For the Apples:

  • 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

For the Biscuits:

  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

For the Topping:

  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. To make the apples, place butter in a medium skilled over medium heat to melt. Add the apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Toss with a wooden spoon until all of the apples are coated and the sugar is melted over the apples, about 2 to 4 minutes. The mixture will be warm and glossy, but the apples won’t be cooked through. That’s right! Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. To make the biscuit dough, place flour in a medium bowl and add cold butter cubes. Use your fingers to quickly break the butter down into the flour. Some of the butter bits will be the size of oats, some the size of small peas. Stir in the granulated sugar.
  4. Create a well in the center of the butter and flour mixture and add 2/3 cup buttermilk. Stir the mixture together until it is well moistened and holds together well. Biscuit dough should be soft and moist. Add the remaining buttermilk as needed. If you’re using your own homemade self-rising flour or gluten-free self-rising flour, you’ll want to add the full 3/4 cup of buttermilk.
  5. Use all-purpose flour to generously dust a clear work surface. Spoon dough onto the floured surface and use your hands to gather it into a ball and gently pat it into a small rectangle. If you’re using gluten-free self-rising flour, the dough will crack a bit as you shape it into a rectangle, and again as you fold it over the apples. That’s OK; just keep patting it back together.
  6. Use a rolling pin to gently roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2-inch thick, about 7-inches x 10-inches. Arrange cooled apples in a single layer over half of the rolled out biscuit dough. Fold the bare side of the dough over the apples and gently press the edges to seal in the apples. Use the palms of your hand to pat the dough into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle if the edges are looking a bit rounded.
  7. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 12 squares. Use a spatula to place each biscuit onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar for topping, cinnamon, and salt.
  9. Brush each biscuit top with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  10. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the biscuits are risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm or cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Biscuits are best enjoyed within two days of baking.

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  1. Kim

    March 31, 2022 at 6:27 am

    I made these last night. I found these to be easy to make, your directions and pictures made all the difference. Thank you! They look amazing and taste even better!!! I was a little surprised to find them tastier than I even imagined. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
  2. Cara

    May 9, 2017 at 11:19 am

    Just tried these and everything went wrong. My dough was too wet even without the extra milk, but somehow simultaneously falling into bits. The apple filling was also really wet, and even though it was cold, the dough started melting or congealing as soon as the apples hit it. No rise in the oven at all, and the whole thing tasted overwhelmingly of baking powder. Don’t know what all I did wrong, but a morning’s work for some soggy, baking powder-y rock cakes? :(

    Reply
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