Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Buttermilk Biscuits
262 kcal a serving, against 328 for the traditional version. That is 66 kcal off, or 20%, with 8.6g of protein. Serves 6. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
You take 300g plain flour, rub in 100g cold unsalted butter or vegetable shortening, then stir in 250g buttermilk and a spoonful of baking powder. Work it as little as you dare and fold the dough once or twice for layers. Cut tall rounds and bake at high heat until golden. Flaky, crisp on top, soft inside, and more fat than most cakes.
What changed, and what each change costs
100g butter replaced with 40g butter and 100g quark
Butter makes the biscuit, but it also loads it with saturated fat. Cutting the butter to 40g and swapping in 100g quark keeps it tender, helps hold structure, and bumps up the protein.
What it costs you. You lose the full effect of the buttery layers. The richness drops, and the crumb isn't quite as light - this is halfway to a scone. I warned you.
Buttermilk reduced to 180g
Quark brings moisture so you can cut back the buttermilk. You still get a slight tang, and the dough holds together nicely.
What it costs you. You don't get as much of that buttermilk flavour. It's there, just not as strong.
Protein up via quark, crumb tender but slightly denser
Adding dairy protein moves the biscuit away from pure starch-and-fat territory, which is the only way to make these less of a nutritional black hole.
What it costs you. The old-school airiness isn't here. These eat best warm, before they firm up.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 328 | 262 |
| Protein | 6.6g | 8.6g |
| Fat | 15.4g | 6.9g |
| Saturated fat | 9.3g | 4g |
| Carbohydrate | 40.8g | 40.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2g | 3.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk.
The method is in the book
This is not a classic biscuit, it's a cross between a biscuit and a scone, just with less shame. The layers are shy, the crumb is tender but a shade more dense, and the flavour is there if you eat them warm. If you want the real thing, you need fat - that's just how it is. But if you want a batch you can eat for breakfast and still show your face in public, these aren't a bad option.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.