ORANGE BREAKFAST BISCUITS

Orange Breakfast Biscuits image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 1 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Steps:

Put 1/3 cup sugar and the zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until combined, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and remaining tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir with a wooden spoon just until a sticky dough forms.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat dough together, and press into an 8-by-11-by-1-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar mixture on top. Using a bench scraper or spatula to lift dough, fold rectangle into thirds (as you would a letter).
Give dough a quarter turn. Roll out into an 8-by-11-by-1-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar mixture on top. Fold into thirds. Transfer dough to a lightly floured parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Tightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Return dough to floured work surface. Roll out again into an 8-by-11-by-1-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar mixture on top. Fold into thirds. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut rounds from dough (still folded); transfer to a baking sheet. Tightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Bake until biscuits are just browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack. Serve warm.