LEMON-POPPY SEED BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Lemon-Poppy Seed Buttermilk Biscuits image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 40m

Yield Makes 9 biscuits

Number Of Ingredients 11

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3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for serving
1 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
Sliced strawberries or strawberry jam, for serving
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and lemon zest for 30 seconds. Toss butter into dry mixture to evenly coat, then press between your fingers to create flower-petal shapes and return to bowl.
Slowly drizzle buttermilk over flour-butter mixture (to evenly distribute) while stirring with a fork. Stop stirring when dough begins to form but mixture is still crumbly. Transfer to center of a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather dough with your hands, pressing firmly to bind, and flatten it into a 6-by-10-inch rectangle. Lift parchment along a short end of dough and fold in half, forming a 6-by-5-inch rectangle. Turn dough 90 degrees; gently reflatten to 6 by 10 inches. Fold in half again and flatten slightly into a 6-inch square.
To keep things easy, form the dough on the same tray it's baked on. Cut it into thirds in both directions with a large, sharp knife, to form 9 biscuits. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake until puffed, golden brown on top, and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottom, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel-lined basket; cover to keep warm. Serve with strawberries or jam and whipped cream.