- 5 cups unbleached white flour
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1-1/2 tablespoons salt
- 4 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 cups solid vegetable shortening
You need a very large bowl to make this mix,
and also a clean container to put it in when
it's done. I usually use a large, clean
coffee can.
So, measure your flours into your large
bowl. Add the salt and baking powder. Mix it
all up with your fingers and hands. Be sure
you wash them before you dig in. After the
salt and baking powder are evenly
distributed
throughout the flour, add the shortening.
Firmly pack solid shortening into a cup-size
measure. Make sure there aren't any air
pockets, as you pack it full. Level off the
top with your finger so you have exactly one
cupful. Scrape the shortening out of the cup
into a big blob on top of the flour. Use your
fingers to get out as much of the shortening
as you can without being unduly obsessive
about it. Now, measure another cupful of
shortening and plop it on next to the first
blob in the bowl of flour.
Using your hands, mash the flour and fat
together until the entire mixture is light
and crumbly. Try not to overmix. You will
want small lumps to remain, about the size
of peas or dried beans. When the mixture is
evenly mashed together, and it actually
resembles biscuit mix (only darker because
of the whole wheat flour) you can stop.
Transfer the biscuit mix to a clean coffee
can, or other resealable container. Label
and seal the can. You should have about
10-1/2 cups of biscuit mix.
This recipe can be used in any recipe
calling for biscuit mix or Bisquick baking
mix. This mix is better for you because of
the whole grain flour, and reduced amounts
of salt. Also, you can use
trans-fatty-acid-free shortening in your own
mix, to make it as healthy as possible.
Spectrum is a brand name available in my
neck of the woods.
I have tried a lot of whole wheat biscuit
mixes to find the best one. All of the
others turned out heavy and dense baked
products. This one though, is perfect.
Biscuits made with it are light and flaky
the way biscuits are supposed to be, and
impossible pies taste like they were made
with store-bought biscuit mix, only they
weren't. They were made with good, hearty,
whole grains instead.
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