Louisiana chef Melissa Martin adds an unexpected ingredient to her biscuits: 7-Up soda.
“This recipe likely came from the side of a box, but it has become a family favorite,” Martin says in her new cookbook, “Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of Cajun Life.”
The original recipe called for a pre-made baking mix, but Martin adapted the recipe from the cookbook “to avoid food additives whose names you can’t pronounce.”
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She says these biscuits are best eaten warm, but “they’re just as good warmed up in the toaster the next day.”
These biscuits can also be made with any type of fat, including butter, lard or Crisco if needed, she said.
Melissa Martin of Louisiana shared her family’s “7-Up Biscuits” recipe with Fox News Digital. She is the author of the new cookbook, “Bayou: A Feast Through the Seasons of Cajun Life.” (Todd Cole)
It’s also very important to bake these biscuits immediately after the dough comes together, Martin said.
“Quickly transfer the biscuits to a baking pan and then into the oven,” she said.
Melissa Martin’s 7-Up Biscuit Recipe
Makes 12 large biscuits.
ingredient
2 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 ounces cold lard or unsalted butter
1 cup 7-Up
¼ cup heavy cream
Butter and preserves for serving
Melissa Martin’s biscuits contain an unexpected ingredient: 7-Up soda. (Artisan Books, Getty Images)
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1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven gets hot, try increasing the temperature to 375 to 400 degrees.
2. Add butter to a 9-inch square baking pan and place in the oven to melt the butter. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes so you don’t forget. Remove when melted.
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3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. (You can sift them together, but you don’t have to.) Add the cold fat (not the melted butter) and break it in with your fingers until it resembles a coarse, gravelly meal.
4. Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add 7Up and cream. Mix with a fork just until the dough comes together. The mixture will be very sticky.
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5. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and shape it into a jagged rectangle with short ends. Fold the left side of the rectangle to meet the right side, and then fold the right side to meet the left side. Press dough (no need to roll) into a rough 8×13-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick.
These biscuits are best served warm, or you can reheat them in the toaster the next day, says cookbook author Martin. (artisan books)
6. Using a sharp, floured knife or bench scraper, cut the rectangle into four pieces, flouring the knife after each cut. Divide each portion into 3 biscuits to make 12 biscuits. Place the biscuits snugly into the pan with the melted butter.
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7. Bake immediately for 20 minutes and turn the pan over after 10 minutes. The biscuits are done when the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature registers 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
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8. Remove from the oven, place a clean kitchen towel on a plate and let the biscuits rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter and preserves.
This recipe belongs to Melissa Martin and was shared with Fox News Digital.
