BENNE SEED BISCUITS

Benne Seed Biscuits image

Provided by Nora Kerr

Time 35m

Yield Eight dozen

Number Of Ingredients 6

1/2 cup benne seeds
3 cups flour, plus some for dusting the board
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard
2/3 cup milk

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the benne seeds in a shallow pan and roast for 5 minutes. They should be the color of butterscotch and have a delicious toasted smell. If they're not ready, shake the pan to toss and return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, but be careful not to burn them.
Sift the flour, baking powder and teaspoon of salt into a large bowl. Add the lard and work the mixture with a pastry blender or your fingertips until it has the texture of cornmeal. Add the milk and mix well. Mix in the benne seeds. Place the dough on a floured surface, knead for a few seconds and shape into a ball.
Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out rounds and lay them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little bit of salt and serve hot. The biscuits may be stored in an airtight tin or jar; reheat before serving.