Angel Biscuits

It's the simple things that are the best things.

These are none other than that. Little, fluffy, pockets of buttery goodness. I like mine with a little jam, but butter and honey is a close second.

Angel Biscuits

Yields: about 40 1" biscuits or 20 3" biscuits

Original recipe here.

1/2 oz. active dry yeast (2 packets)

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups buttermilk, warm

5 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup shortening

butter, melted (optional)

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the warm buttermilk and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl, stir together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the yeast/buttermilk mixture and mix well. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 3 - 4 times, then roll out to about 1/2" thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter (for normal size, use 3", for teeny ones like mine, use 1") Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 450 F for 8 - 10 minutes. Lightly brush the tops with melted butter when they come out if desired.

Brown Sugar Coconut Bubble Tea

I have an unadulterated love for chewy things. Chewy bread is my first love. Chewy desserts are second up and probably the reason why I navigate myself towards tapioca pearls and mochi cake.
I saw this recipe and I made it immediately, mostly for the fact that it reminds me of one of my favorite Vietnamese dessert/ drinks called "Suong Sa." It's basically a lightly sweetened coconut milk based drink filled with grass jelly and tapioca pearls. That's probably why I love tapioca pearls so much, because a LOT of Vietnamese desserts use tapioca pearls and I grew up chewing on the stuff and now it's my crack!

See how pretty they are? Glassy, gelatinous and chewy. This drink was really good, and almost exactly like my favorite Vietnamese drink! I really loved it. Next time, I'll probably add some grass jelly to complete it. The coconut milk makes it really smooth and rich, so the fact that it's lightly sweetened is smart, because it could get very heavy, very easily.

Mmmm, rich & refreshing!

Brown Sugar Coconut Bubble Tea

Yields: 2 servings

Adapted from here.

1/2 cup large pearl tapioca

1 tbsn. honey

2 tbsn. brown sugar

1 cup black tea, cold

1 cup ice

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup almond milk, or regular milk

Cook the tapioca pearls according to the directions on the package, drain, then stir in the brown sugar and honey. To make the bubble tea, combine the black tea, coconut milk and almond milk. Divide the ice and tapioca pearls (along with the syrup) among two tall glasses, then top with the tea. Add more sugar if desired.