Corn flour biscuits with maple butter

Flaky biscuits made more flavourful with corn flour!

One of the first things I learned to bake as a child was baking powder biscuits. They remain a favourite to this day; I love them hot out of the oven, slathered with butter and jam. When I spied a jar of Heritage Corn Flour from Barkley’s Apple Orchard in my recent Farmers’ Feast basket from the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, I had a hunch that special flour would make for very delicious biscuits, and that maple butter (thanks to Maple Country Sugar Bush) would be the ideal topping. I was right on both counts. These flaky biscuits are so easy to make and keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

• 1 cup (250 mL) corn flour*
• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons (25 mL) baking powder
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 mL) cold, salted butter
• 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk

*Can substitute with very fine cornmeal but NOT cornstarch.

For the maple butter:

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) salted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup

Method

• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the flours and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• With a grater, shred the cold butter directly into the flour mixture. With two forks, toss the butter and flour together until they are evenly combined.
• Pour the buttermilk into the flour and butter and quickly stir together with a wooden spoon.
• Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it just enough to incorporate all the flour into the dough, which will be soft and shaggy.
• With floured hands, pat the dough out into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
• Using a three inch (7.5 cm) round cutter or a similar sized drinking glass, cut the dough into seven or eight rounds.
• Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 13 – 15 minutes or until tops and bottoms of biscuits are golden.
• While biscuits are baking, put softened butter in a small bowl. Add maple syrup and stir vigorously to blend together, creating a smooth spread.
• Serve hot biscuits with maple butter on the side. If you’re like my husband, you might also enjoy them topped with a fried egg.

Makes 7 – 8 three inch biscuits.