Dipping Biscuits

My sole contribution to last week's Thanksgiving food was to help Daughter No. 1 make biscuits for the turkey soup on Friday. We made Dipping Biscuits from Bon Appétit, November '07, and they were yummy, a hint of sage and butter like your favorite stuffing.

I made them again the other day to go with butternut squash and chickpea stew, and they were just as luscious. I discovered that if you warm them, cut them open, and fill them with a bit of butter and a bit of pumpkin butter, then you've got an amazing treat that will make you close your eyes and sigh.

Dipping Biscuits

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup buttermilk plus additional for brushing biscuit tops
1 large egg

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk whole wheat flour, bread flour, baking powder, salt, onion powder, baking soda, thyme, and sage in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk and egg in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture and mix with fork until evenly moistened (dough will be slightly sticky).

Turn biscuit dough out onto floured work surface. Knead briefly just until dough comes together, about 4 turns. Gather dough into ball. Using hands, flatten dough to 3/4-inch-thick round. Using 2-inch-diameter biscuit cutter or cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds. Transfer rounds to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart. Gather dough scraps; flatten to 3/4-inch thickness and cut out additional rounds. Brush tops of biscuits with additional buttermilk.

Bake biscuits until tops are light golden and tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer biscuits to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.