Butter Swim Biscuits

 

I think you best prepare yourself to fall totally and irrevocably in love.  This recipe for butter swims biscuits with buttermilk is probably one of the most delicious biscuit recipes you are ever going to eat!

I kid you not. I am in heaven here.

Not only that, but they are also probably one of the easiest biscuit recipes you are ever going to bake!!!

 

They get their name from the fact that they are literally swimming in butter prior to baking.  Light and fluffy, there is no fat in the actual biscuits.

Enough gets absorbed during the baking and the set time. No need to butter them when you go to serve them. They are plenty buttery enough!

Perfect for breakfast, dinner and everything in between, your family are going to love, LOVE these easy biscuits! They will be asking you to bake them all the time.

But no worries there as they go together in a flash!  Soft and fluffy on the inside, they are crisp and buttery on the outside! 

In short, perfect!

 

I baked these today to take over to my sisters. She is cooking my recipe for Oven Fried Chicken for supper, along with macaroni and cheese.

Why not add an additional something moreish with these incredibly delectable biscuits!!  Why not indeed!! 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS

Simple ordinary store cupboard ingredients. It is the simple things in life which really bring us the most pleasure I think!  

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 TBS baking powder
• 1 TBS granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk, shaken
• 3/4 cup (172g) butter melted
• an additional 2 TBS butter, melted 

 

I adapted this original recipe from one I found on The Recipe Critic.  i adapted it to British measurements and those are the ones I used to bake them, so you can know undoubtedly that they will bake up perfectly on both sides of the pond! 

Soft, moist and tasty, these have a fabulous crumb!  But they are also incredibly crisp and buttery on the outsides.  I would call these perfect in every way.

I could not resist trying one warm from the oven with some of that delicious Honey Strawberry Jam I made the other day.   OH so delicious!!

 

HOW TO MAKE BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS

Seriously, these are the easiest biscuits on earth to make.  You will be amazed! 

Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/gas mark 7.

Put the 3/4 cup of butter in an 8-inch square glass baking dish and pop into the oven just to melt the butter.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix together just to combine. The mixture should be lumpy.  Do NOT overmix.

 

(You will have to excuse this poor photograph. I have no natural light in my kitchen at all.)

Spread the dough into the pan on top of the butter, getting it into all four corners. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 9 (3X3-inch) squared. Pop onto a baking sheet to prevent butter from spilling over into your oven.

Bake in the preheated oven for 24 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and immediately brush the 2 TBS of melted butter on top.

Leave to sit for a few minutes until all of the butter has been absorbed. Best served warm.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR BAKING THE BEST BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS

Don't let the butter brown when you are melting it.  You also don't want it to come to the boil.  So watch it very carefully in the oven while it is melting.

Don't overmix the biscuit dough or you risk having tough biscuits. Lumps are perfectly acceptable. What you don't want is dry streaks of flour that haven't been mixed in.  I always mix by hand.  It is pretty hard to overmix them if you are doing it by hand.  No need to crack out the stand mixer or electric hand whisk!

I use salted butter. I don't keep both salted and unsalted butter in my kitchen. If a recipe calls for unsalted butter, I simply cut back on the salt required in the original recipe.

Keep the door shut while you are baking them. Every time you open the oven door to peek, you decrease your oven temperature.

I used a glass  baking dish and it was perfect. Place your baking dish onto a baking tray to catch any butter that might escape during the cooking.  Less mess. Its a lot easier to clean a baking tray than the oven.

I use room temperature ingredient, except for the buttermilk.

These really are the most delicious biscuits.  I can't wait to bring them over to my sister's a little later on. We are just going to gently reheat them in the warmth of the oven after the chicken has finished cooking.

If you love biscuits as much as I do, you might enjoy the following! 

YOGURT BISCUITS WITH CARDAMOM HONEY BUTTER - Light as air, crisp on the outside, fluffy inside and super delicious when served with that lush butter!

CHEDDAR, CHIVE & BACON BISCUITS - These are incredibly moreish and go really well with cold sliced meats, stews, soups, salads, etc.  They are a family favorite! 

EASY 7-UP BISCUITS - A can of carbonated sweet lemonade (7-Up) is the secret ingredient in these fabulously light and tasty biscuits!  They are amazing!

Butter Swim Biscuits

Yield: 9

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These delicious biscuits are moreishly buttery. They would make a fabulous addition to any meal, plus they are some of the easiest biscuits to make.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 TBS baking powder
• 1 TBS granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk, shaken
• 3/4 cup (172g) butter melted
• an additional 2 TBS butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/gas mark 7.
2. Put the 3/4 cup of butter in an 8-inch square glass baking dish and pop into the oven just to melt the butter.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix together just to combine. The mixture should be lumpy.
4. Spread the dough into the pan on top of the butter, getting it into all four corners. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 9 (3X3-inch) squared. Pop onto a baking sheet to prevent butter from spilling over into your oven.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 24 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately brush the 2 TBS of melted butter on top.
7. Leave to sit for a few minutes until all of the butter has been absorbed. Best served warm.

Notes

You can easily make your own buttermilk substitute in one of two ways.

1. Place 1 TBS of vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add regular whole milk and leave to clabber for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Whisk together equal parts of full fat sour cream and whole milk. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes to clabber.

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Slow Cooker Pork and Noodles

 

 

I am here today with a delectable main dish that is destined to become a family favorite any time of the year, but in the summer months, when the slow cooker/crock pot reigns supreme in my house, it is a delicious recipe that rules the roost! 

This is a fabulous pork and noodles recipe that cooks all together in one pot.  Using the crock pot means that you not only have to put in minimal effort, but your kitchen stays blessedly cool in the process! 

 

Hearty and delicious?  Count me in!  All in one? Count me in again! Minimal effort? Count me in.  Cool kitchen?  COUNT ME IN!!! 

This is such an easy and a tasty meal. A real family pleaser.  Even without the noodles, that delicious pork in its fabulously rich gravy stands along and is perfect to serve with potatoes or rice.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SLOW COOKER PORK AND NOODLES

Its really simple ingredients. Pork is still one of the cheaper cuts of meat these days. I can usually get two whole pork tenderloins for about $10. 

Mixing it with noodles means that you can make your meat stretch even further! Bonus!!

 

Ingredients

• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1/4 up (35g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) pork tenderloin
• 1 envelope of dry Onion Soup mix
• 2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) beef stock
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 2 TBS cold water
• 2 TBS corn starch (corn flour)
• 2 cups ( about 340g) egg noodles, uncooked (in the UK use dry egg tagliatelle, not fresh)
• 3/4 cup (180ml) water
• salt and black pepper to taste
• parsley flakes to garnish

 

 

Dry onion soup mix is very common here in North America but I found it very difficult to find when I was living in the UK. If you live in the UK, you can find it on Amazon. I used to buy it in a big tub and then use it by the spoonful. You would need about 2 heaped dessertspoonful's.

Make sure you use the onion and garlic powders, not the salts.  The onion soup mix is salty enough.

For beef stock you can use the ready stock in a carton or a bullion cube, liquid stock, or gel stock pots. (All can be reconstituted with water to make up the full amount.)

 

I used plain no name egg noodles for this and I confess I cooked them separately because I was not sure how they would cook in the slow cooker. The original recipe called for Amish Egg Noodles.  I did not have any of those and was not sure how they would compare.

I suspect you could also use bow tie pasta or even spiral pasta, just make sure your liquid is enough to cover the noodles/pasta when they are cooking in the gravy.

 

HOW TO COOK SLOW COOKER PORK AND NOODLES

Its a doddle really. I love simple meals like this. They are real family pleasers!

Dust the pork all over with the flour and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the pork. Brown lightly on all sides. (I find it easier if I cut the pork in half crosswise.)

Place into the slow cooker. Add the soup mix, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and onion and garlic powders, turning the meat to coat in the mixture.  Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours, until tender. Remove to a plate.

 

Whisk the corn flour together with the cold water and whisk into the juices in the slow cooker. Cover and let cook until thickened.

While you are doing that, shred the pork tenderloin with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker. Add the egg noodles and remaining water, pushing the noodles down to cover them in the water. Cover and cook until the noodles are tender, about half an hour.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.

 

RECIPE NOTES - If you wish you can cook the noodles separately (according to the package directions) and then just stir them into the shredded pork and gravy at the end. 

In this case do not add the second amount of water once you have thickened the gravy and returned the pork to the slow cooker.

 

To be honest you can cook anything that lends itself beautifully to braising in a slow cooker. Just make sure you don't overdo the liquid, as what you are cooking itself will release delicious juices.  

I find if you make sure that what you are cooking is only about half immersed in the liquid, then you are fine. 

You can leave the noodles out altogether with this and enjoy it with potatoes or rice.  Mashed potatoes are particularly good!  

Boy oh boy do I miss the frozen mashed potatoes I could get in the UK. Always good and a real time saver! You could always get a bag, which was enough for four people for one pound.  At that price, why go to the trouble of mashing them yourself!

 

Any cooked vegetable or salad would be excellent on the side of this. Carrots, peas, they are a real favorite, as are string beans.

Cabbage is also excellent!

Some other slow cooker meals we really enjoy are:

SLOW COOKER CREAMY BASIL CHICKEN -  Its amazing what you can make with only a few simple ingredients. This is creamy, tender and delicious!  Serve with rice or pasta! 

SLOW COOKER BEEF TACOS -   They are as simple to make as throwing some meat, onions, seasoning and broth into a slow cooker in the morning. Crock Pot Shredded Beef Tacos are easy to make and absolutely delicious! 

SLOW COOKER POTATO AND HAM CHOWDER - A soup which is creamy and has a high potato content to me, is a chowder. Soup or chowder, however you choose to name it, this is one delicious pot of flavours. 

Slow Cooker Pork and Noodles

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 H & 35 MTotal time: 4 H & 45 M

An easy slow cooker recipe that is all in one combining a delicious sauce, tender pieces of slow cooked pork and noodles, all prepared right in the slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1/4 up (35g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) pork tenderloin
• 1 envelope of dry Onion Soup mix
• 2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) beef stock
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 2 TBS cold water
• 2 TBS corn starch (corn flour)
• 2 cups ( about 340g) egg noodles, uncooked (in the UK use dry egg tagliatelle, not fresh)
• 3/4 cup (180ml) water
• salt and black pepper to taste
• parsley flakes to garnish

Instructions

1. Dust the pork all over with the flour and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the pork. Brown lightly on all sides. (I find it easier if I cut the pork in half crosswise.)
3. Place into the slow cooker.
4. Add the soup mix, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and onion and garlic powders, turning the meat to coat in the mixture.
5. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours, until tender. Remove to a plate.
6. Whisk the cornflour together with the cold water and whisk into the juices in the slow cooker. Cover and let cook until thickened.
7. While you are doing that, shred the pork tenderloin with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker. Add the egg noodles and remaining water, pushing the noodles down to cover them in the water. Cover and cook until the noodles are tender, about half an hour.
8. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.

Notes

If you wish you can cook the noodles separately (according to the package directions) and then just stir them into the shredded pork and gravy at the end. In this case do not add the second amount of water once you have thickened the gravy and returned the pork to the slow cooker.

Did you make this recipe?

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This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

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Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

  

 

 

When I was growing up it was a real treat for my mom and dad to take us out for a cone of ice cream. It didn't happen very often.  My parents didn't have a lot of money and so treats like that were very rare.

Mostly just in the summer time and on a really hot day and if we had gone to the beach for a swim. (again very rare occasions as my mom did not like being out doors!)

 

At some of the finer establishments you could get a dipped cone. Cones of soft ice cream dipped in chocolate which would harden like a magic shell around the ice cream. 

Tucking into the very rare one of those was like opening a magic box!  I can remember seeing Klondike bars advertised on the television which were ice cream bars covered in hard chocolate, but it was not something my mom ever bought for us to enjoy at home.

We had to save our allowances up for stuff like that and penny candy usually got in the way! No contest when you were getting three candies for a penny!

 

Then when I was older (adult) I remember going with my cousin to an ice cream stand and they had not only vanilla soft ice cream but chocolate as well, and you could get a cone with both and you could have it dipped in both chocolate or butterscotch magic shell!

I mean wowza! Wowza!

My children were a bit luckier than I was. I had a deep freeze and we kept vanilla ice cream in it all the time, but there was no such thing as chocolate shell ice cream topping.

If they wanted a sundae my toppings were, strawberry jam, strawberry jam and  . . .  strawberry jam!  I sure wish I had known how easy it was to make this chocolate shell ice cream topping back then.  My children would have really enjoyed it! 

 

And it is so simple to make. It uses only two ingredients and can be put together in about 5 minutes time. It is just like the stuff you buy as well.

You spoon it over cold ice cream and it hardens into a chocolate shell, just as if by magic! 

 

And for parties and special occasions you can sprinkle cupcake sprinkles over top to dress them up! Magnifico!

So pretty. My children would have been over the moon!   I will have to treat my grandsons to some of this when they come over from the Island in July. 

Better yet, we will have to make it together.  I know they will love doing that, and it is super simple to make. 

 

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE SHELL ICE CREAM TOPPING

Only two simple ingredients, that's all!  Its amazing! 

• 3/4 cup (175g) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 TBS extra virgin coconut oil 

Cake sprinkles are totally optional.  But I like the way they look! 

 

I am sure you could vary the flavors of this by using butterscotch chips, or mint chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, etc.

I have heard other people say only use good quality dark chocolate?  But meh!  I used semi sweet chocolate chips and it worked beautifully. There was no powdery taste or anything.

I think chocolate chips work just find, so long as you use a quality one. I used Kirkland, the ones you buy at Costco.

 

I haven't tried it, but I am pretty sure you could even use a sugar free.  Spooned over sugar free keto friendly, vanilla ice cream, you would have a pretty tasty diabetic friendly and low carb dessert.  

Just stay away from the sprinkles! 

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE SHELL ICE CREAM TOPPING

This is the simplest thing ever to make. A baby could do it.  Well, maybe not a baby, but you get my drift!

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Alternately melt in the microwave in a bowl, stirring it at 30 second intervals until melted.

Stir in the coconut oil until melted and completely amalgamated.

Keep lukewarm until you are ready to spoon over ice cold ice cream. It will harden into a shell almost immediately so if you are using sprinkles have them ready to sprinkle on top right away!

 

This stuff hardens almost as soon as you spoon it over top of the ice cream.  Within seconds literally.

Its great fun to crack it open and get at the ice cream underneath!!   This would be a wonderful addition to any summer get together or children's party! 

 

You can see here how very hard it actually gets. It really is completely like magic! 

 

I have a few other frozen desserts in my kitchen that you might enjoy.  Summer is the season for frozen delights! 

FROZEN LEMON SOUFFLES - These were something I used to make often when I worked at the Manor. This is a fabulous dessert that is not only delicious but impressive. Perfectly light and tasty for after a heavy meal.  

ICE CREAM CLOWNS -  A birthday party confection that I remember my mother making for us once at a Birthday party. The cones were the hats for the clowns.  Perfectly delightful!! 

 

So what are some of your favorite summertime ice cream memories?  I can remember biting off the end of the cone and sucking the melting ice cream through the hole.  Messy but fun!

We used to sometimes get rainbow ice cream which was every color of the rainbow!  Delicious! 

Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

Yield: 3/4 cup (good for 4 - 6 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Cook time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

You won't believe how simple this is to make. You can do it in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. This chocolate topping hardens like magic when spooned over cold ice cream. Why not add some sprinkles and make it really fun!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175g) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 TBS extra virgin coconut oil
• cake sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Alternately melt in the microwave in a bowl, stirring it at 30 second intervals until melted.
2. Stir in the coconut oil until melted and completely amalgamated.
3. Keep lukewarm until you are ready to spoon over ice cold ice cream. It will harden into a shell almost immediately so if you are using sprinkles have them ready to sprinkle on top right away!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 

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