It's All in the Mixing

• To make light biscuits, you must treat biscuit dough differently than bread dough. Biscuit dough must only be lightly mixed until all the flour is incorporated or you'll end up with dense biscuits. Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding any wet ones. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter and work the mixture until it is crumbly and well mixed. Add buttermilk or cream and stir until just incorporated. Use clean hands to lightly finish mixing the dough and ensure all the little bits in the bowl are mixed together.

Cutting Right

• Working quickly so the dough stays cool, roll out the dough until it is about 3/4 inch thick using a rolling pin or your hands to spread it out. Cut the dough with a pastry cutter or inverted cup. When cutting the dough, do not twist the cutter, but instead press firmly down until the dough is cut through. Twisting the dough will take away from a nice rise in the oven and cause your biscuit to be tough.

Eye on Ingredients

• Create an even more tender biscuit by substituting up to 1/4 cup of the flour in a recipe for cornstarch to create a lower protein biscuit that always achieves a high rise. While heavy cream is often recommended to ensure a rich flavor in biscuits, you can substitute buttermilk or regular milk with little difference in the overall rise and airiness of biscuits. To reduce the fat, use low-fat milk or buttermilk to achieve the same results.

Keep It Cool

• Improve the texture and rise of biscuits by placing them in the freezer for about 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven while they are resting in the freezer so the oven it is ready for baking once the resting time is up. This short, cooling rest will ensure that once your biscuits hit the heat, they will rise high and remain fluffy. Serve biscuits immediately after cooking for the best texture and flavor.