Sweet Potato And Cranberry Cornmeal Biscuits Recipes

SWEET POTATO OR PUMPKIN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Select the baking pan by determining if a soft or crisp exterior is desired. For a soft exterior, use an 8- or 9-inch cake pan, pizza pan, or ovenproof skillet where the biscuits will nestle together snugly, creating the soft exterior while baking. For a crisp exterior, select a baking sheet or other baking pan where the biscuits can be placed wider apart, allowing air to circulate and creating a crisper exterior, and brush the pan with butter.
• Fork-sift or whisk 2 cups of flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl, preferably wider than it is deeper, and set aside the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Scatter lard over the flour and work in by rubbing fingers with the lard and flour as if snapping thumb and fingers together (or use two forks or knives, or a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like well-crumbled feta cheese, with no piece larger than a pea. Shake the bowl occasionally to allow the larger pieces of fat to bounce to the top of the flour, revealing the largest lumps that still need rubbing. If this method took longer than 5 minutes, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to rechill the fat.
• Make a deep hollow in the center of the flour with the back of your hand. Scoop the sweet potatoes into the hollow and stir with a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull the flour into the sweet potatoes. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the sticky dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If too dry, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of milk.
• Lightly sprinkle a board or other clean surface with some of the reserved flour. Turn the dough out onto the board and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half, and pat dough out into a 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick round, using a little additional flour only if needed. Flour again if necessary, and fold the dough in half a second time. If the dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time. Pat dough out into a 1/2-inch-thick round for a normal biscuit, 3/4-inch-thick for a tall biscuit, and 1-inch-thick for a giant biscuit. Brush off any visible flour from the top. For each biscuit, dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into the reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, starting at the outside edge and cutting very close together, being careful not to twist the cutter. The scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, although these scraps make tougher biscuits.
• Using a metal spatula if necessary, move the biscuits to the pan or baking sheet. Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for a total of 12 to 14 minutes, depending on thickness, until light golden brown. After 6 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back, and check to see if the bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another baking pan underneath to add insulation and retard browning. Continue baking another 6 to 8 minutes until the biscuits are light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth to make an icing. When the biscuits are done, remove from oven and slide them onto a rack over a piece of wax paper. Drizzle the icing over the warm biscuits. Discard the paper with the excess icing. Serve hot right away.
• Sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup cake flour with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour), 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder.

CRANBERRY BRIE SHEET PAN BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a large bowl. Rub 4 tablespoons of the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until completely absorbed. Work the remaining 16 tablespoons butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized bits of butter remain. Use a fork to stir in the buttermilk until the mixture comes together into a shaggy dough. (Don't overmix the dough.)
• Add the Brie, parsley, cranberries, chives and thyme to the bowl and gently mix with lightly floured hands, folding the dough over itself (this is where the flaky layers will form) until the ingredients are just combined.
• Turn the dough out onto the prepared sheet pan and use lightly floured hands to evenly distribute the dough into the pan. Using a paring knife, gently score 24 squares on top of the dough, making sure the knife does not cut through to the bottom of the biscuit. (If baking the biscuits the following day, cover gently with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate up to 24 hours.)
• Brush the top of the dough with more buttermilk. Bake until the biscuit top is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use a paring knife to follow the score marks to cut through the biscuits.
• Meanwhile, mix the honey with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle the honey over the warm biscuits. Serve the biscuits warm or at room temperature with more butter, if desired.

SWEET POTATO CORN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and sweet potatoes. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into squares. Serve warm.

SWEET POTATO CRANBERRY BAKE

Steps:

• Place sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-in. slices. , Place half in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with half of the cranberries, brown sugar and butter. Repeat layers. Pour orange juice over top. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.

SWEET POTATO AND CRANBERRY CORNMEAL BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet or muffin tin and set aside.
• Put the sweet potato in a small saucepan with the orange juice, 1/2 cup water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat slightly and boil gently, covered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Coarsely mash the potatoes and cooking liquid with the 5 tablespoons butter and maple syrup. Stir in the cranberries. Let cool and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To form each biscuit, pack the dough to just below the top of a 1/3-cup measuring cup, then invert and tap out onto the baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 biscuits total. Brush the top of each biscuit with a little melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and continue baking until the tops are golden and firm, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold.