Angel Biscuits

Gluten-free biscuits are difficult to master because of the properties of the GF ingredients. This recipe is easy, reliable and the result is delicious. Angel biscuits use both yeast and baking powder as leavening agents. These biscuits have a nice moist texture and disappear very quickly in our house!

2 teaspoons yeast 
1tsp sugar
2 tablespoons warm water 
3/4 cup lukewarm milk OR buttermilk (warm, but do not boil)
2 tablespoons coconut sugar 
3/4 tsp salt
2 room-temperature eggs
3 tablespoons palm shortening (cold)
2 cups of GF flour  plus 1/2 cup reserved GF flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp guar gum
1 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with the 1 tsp sugar and set aside to proof.

Place the 2 cups of GF flour mix into the mixer bowl. Add the warm milk, sugar, salt, baking powder, eggs, shortening, guar gum, xanthan gum. Beat on low speed just to combine, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the yeast mixture and then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Slowly add the reserved cup of GF flour and beat until a thick but still sticky dough forms. You will need to be able to handle the dough, but do not add more of the reserved flour than necessary. I generally use the half cup of reserved GF flour, but this varies from batch to batch.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface - I sprinkle the surface of a silicon baking sheet liner with arrowroot or tapioca starch so the outside of the biscuits do not feel gritty. Flour/tapioca your hands and gently pat the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a floured  biscuit cutter and place on a greased baking sheet. Combine the leftover scraps of dough and continue to make biscuits until all of the dough has been used. This recipe makes six 3" biscuits. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled (about 40-50 minutes).

Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter or milk. Bake in a 450F degree preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes. After 5 minutes you will probably want to cover the top of the biscuits lightly with aluminium foil so that they don't brown too much. When the biscuits are done baking, cover them lightly with a tea towel while they cool.