When chef Melissa Martin of Louisiana makes biscuits, she includes an unexpected ingredient: 7-Up soda.
"This recipe most likely came from the side of a box but has become a family favorite," Martin says in her new cookbook, "Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of a Cajun Life."
While the original recipe called for a pre-made baking mix, Martin adapted the recipe in her cookbook "to avoid food additives whose names you can't pronounce."
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These biscuits are best served warm, she said, but "are good the next day warmed up in the toaster, too."
Additionally, these biscuits can be made with any kind of fat, including butter, lard "or Crisco, if you must," she said.
It is also extremely important that these biscuits are baked shortly after the dough comes together, Martin said.
"Move the biscuits quickly to the baking pan and then to the oven," she said.
Makes 12 large biscuits
2 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon raw sugar
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 ounces lard or unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup 7-Up
¾ cup heavy cream
Butter and preserves, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven runs hot, go for 375 degrees to 400 degrees.
2. Place the butter in a 9-inch square baking pan and set in the oven so the butter melts. Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes so you don't forget. Remove once it has melted.
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3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. (You can sift these together, but it's not necessary.) Add the cold fat (not the melted butter) and cut it in with your fingers until it resembles coarse, pebbly meal.
4. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the 7-Up and cream. Mix together with a fork just until the dough comes together. The mixture will be very sticky.
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5. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and shape it into a craggy rectangle with the short ends at left and right. Fold the left side of the rectangle over to meet the right side, then fold the right side over to meet the left. Press the dough (no need to roll it) into a rough 8- by 13-inch rectangle about 1-inch thick.
6. Using a floured sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the rectangle into four equal parts, flouring the knife each time you make a cut. Divide each part into three biscuits to yield 12 biscuits. Place the biscuits snugly in the pan with the melted butter.
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7. Bake immediately for 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10 minutes. The biscuits are done when the tops are golden brown and their internal temperature registers 200 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer.
8. Remove from the oven, place a clean kitchen towel over the dish, and let the biscuits rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter and preserves.
This recipe is owned by Melissa Martin and was shared with Fox News Digital.
