Homemade Lard Biscuits

5 from 1 vote

With just a few ingredients, you will have the most delicious homemade lard biscuits! Golden and crisp from the outside, yet super soft from the inside.

Prep Time50

Cook Time18

Total Time1 8

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Serbian

Servings:

Calories: 145kcal

Author: Nataša

Ingredients

For activating the yeast

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
⅓ cup warm milk
½ teaspoon all-purpose flour

For Biscuits

1.1 lb all-purpose flour
0.55 lb cold lard
¼ cup cold milk
2 ½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
Sea salt and sesame seeds (for sprinkling on top)

For brushing the top of biscuits

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1 egg yolk

Instructions

Cut the lard into smaller cubes (around 1 inch). Leave in the fridge until ready to use.
In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add warm milk, sugar, a little bit of flour (about ½ tsp), and active dry yeast. Stir it a little and set aside (covered with a dry cloth) for 5-10 minutes. The yeast should become foamy. If it didn't, that means the yeast is bad, and you should start again. This is a very important step because if the yeast does not activate, the biscuits won't rise.
Add lard cubes into the flour and salt mixture. Then using the pastry cutter, work the lard into the flour until they are well incorporated. The mixture will be crumbly.
Add yeast mixture into the flour and lard mixture and mix until well combined. Add a little more cold milk, just enough to incorporate the dough (about one quarter cup). I use my hands during this process, but don't do it for too long. Add egg and another egg white. Once everything is well combined, shape the dough into a ball and leave to rest for half an hour. If the dough is sticky, dust the top with flour. I leave the dough in the bowl, which I used originally to mix the dry ingredients (covered with a dry cloth).
Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheits.
Shape the dough into the rectangle (with your hands) until about 1-inch thickness and cut out the biscuits using the biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush the biscuits with the melted butter and the remaining egg yolk. Sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top. Mine took about 18 minutes.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

When you prepare the yeast, please make sure that it becomes foamy. If it didn't, the yeast is bad, and you should start again. This is a very important step because if the yeast does not activate, the biscuits won't rise.

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