Here’s a recipe for making homemade Ritz-style biscuits, including the required equipment and nutritional value.
Homemade Ritz Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup milk (optional for brushing)
Equipment Needed:
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pastry cutter (or fork)
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Biscuit cutter or small round cutter (around 2 inches in diameter)
- Pastry brush
- Cooling rack
Preparation
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk them together to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Cut in the Butter:
- Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. You want the butter to be evenly distributed but still in small chunks, which will help create the flaky texture.
- Add the Wet Ingredients:
- Pour in the vegetable oil and the water. Stir until the dough comes together. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. If it’s too dry, add a tiny bit more water; if it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Knead and Roll Out the Dough:
- Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough for a minute or so until smooth.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. You want these biscuits to be thin so they become crispy when baked.
- Cut Out the Biscuits:
- Using a round biscuit cutter or a small glass, cut out rounds from the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the Biscuits:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter (optional: mix the melted butter with a little milk for a golden finish).
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and crisp.
- Cool:
- Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Nutritional Value per Serving (Approximately for 1 Biscuit):
- Calories: 65
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 5.5g
- Sugar: 0.2g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.7g
- Sodium: 65mg
(Note: Nutritional values can vary slightly depending on the specific ingredients used and the exact portion sizes.)
- Storage: Store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze them for longer storage.
- Flavor Variations: To mimic the buttery and slightly sweet flavor of commercial Ritz crackers, consider adding a little more sugar and butter to the recipe, or sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt on top before baking.
RItz Crackers Without Chemical Leavening
Ritz biscuits without using chemical leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda. Instead, you can use natural leavening methods like yeast or fermentation to achieve a similar texture and flavor. Here’s a recipe idea using yeast as the leavening agent.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter (cold, unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water (around 105°F to 110°F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing)
Preparation
- Activate the Yeast:
- Dissolve the sugar in warm water.
- Add the yeast to the water, stirring gently, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and incorporate it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Slowly pour in the activated yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
- Knead the Dough:
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Roll Out the Dough:
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a floured surface.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness (or thinner, depending on your preference).
- Cut the Biscuits:
- Using a round biscuit cutter or a small glass, cut out small rounds (about 2 inches in diameter).
- Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with milk to give them a golden color when baked.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and crisp.
- Cool:
- Let the biscuits cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- The texture may not be identical to Ritz crackers, which use chemical leaveners to achieve their specific texture, but the yeast will give the biscuits a lovely rise and a slightly airier texture.
- If you want a slightly more savory or buttery flavor, you can brush the tops with melted butter instead of milk after baking.
These yeast-leavened crackers will have a delicious, natural flavor, with a crispy yet tender bite similar to that of a Ritz biscuit.
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