Recipe: Half Wheat Biscuits (using yeast and baking powder)

HALF WHEAT BISCUITS

"Whole wheat flour is more dense than white flour, so this recipe uses not only baking powder for leavening, but a little quick-rising yeast to give the biscuits a boost. Be sure your biscuit cutter is sharp, and cut straight down for a sharp edge; don't twist. If the biscuit edges are compressed by twisting the cutter, the biscuits won't rise as high."

1 cup sifted whole wheat flour or white wheat flour
1 cup sifted unbleached white flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup warm (120 degrees F) reconstituted powdered nonfat milk (or reconstituted powdered soy milk)
1 tsp. rapid-rising active dry yeast
1/3 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp. honey
Orange marmalade (optional, for serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flours, baking powder and salt in sifter or wire-meshed sieve. Sift together into large bowl.

In smaller bowl, add milk or soymilk. Sprinkle yeast over surface. Whisk to mix and dissolve. Dip tablespoon into oil. Measure honey into tablespoon. Add to yeast milk mixture along with oil. Whisk to mix and dissolve honey. Add to flour mixture. Stir with fork or fold with rubber spatula until just mixed and dough holds together (do not mix).

Turn out onto lightly floured board. Roll out 1/2-inch thick. Cut biscuits straight down with 2-inch cutter. Gather up dough scraps, reroll and cut, handling dough as little and lightly as possible.

Bake 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet until biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve hot with orange marmalade if desired.

Makes about 15 biscuits
Source:Nancy Ross Ryan in Vegetarian Times magazine, January 1996