Sweet Potato Yam Biscuits

… Tender and Rustic!

I’m not quite sure why I think these Sweet Potato Yam Biscuits have a rustic sense to them, but that’s what kept coming to me each time I thought about them and played with the recipe. After a few variations, I found this to be the gluten-free, dairy-free biscuit I loved the most. These have a hint of complexity in the flavor, but keep with the tenderness of what a biscuit should be. A bit more firm on the exterior, with a pull-apart, ever so slight chew when you bite into them. The sweet potato is quite mild but adds a beautiful, rich and festive color. They are delicious naked, but peak to a new flavor level when warm and slathered with butter or Pumpkin Ginger Apple Butter. A perfect complement to the Thanksgiving Dinner plate!

Prep time: about 20 minutes

Bake time: 16-18 minutes

Bake temp: 425ºF

Rest time: none required

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato or garnet yam to make 1/2 cup mashed yam

pinch of kosher salt

2 cups (240g) all-purpose gluten-free flour, plus more for dusting and dipping cutter – I used Bette’s Gourmet Four Flour Blend

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder – Clabber Girl or Argo work equally well

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup margarine – I used Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread

1/4 cup coconut spread – I used Earth Balance Coconut Spread

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup minus 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk – I used Blue Diamond Almond Milk, Original Flavor (OR you can omit the apple cider vinegar and non-dairy milik and use 2/3 cup buttermilk instead, if you are not dairy-free)

Directions:

Peel sweet potato or yam and cut into large, even chunks. Put in pot and cover with water. Add pinch of salt. Cover with lid. Bring to boil, then continue cooking until yam is tender and can be easily mashed, about 15 minutes. Drain liquid. Mash yam with beaters or with a fork until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out a large piece of wax paper and dust with flour. Add about 1/3 cup flour to a small bowl for dipping cutter into to prevent biscuits from sticking when cutting them.

Combine apple cider vinegar and non-dairy milk in glass. Stir and let stand 10 minutes while mixing dough.

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, guar gum and sugar. Stir together.

Add margarine and coconut spread to dry flour mixture and blend with pastry blender or fingers to break up fats and create pea size pieces. Don’t completely incorporate fat into flour, but create a semi-crumbly mixture. Leaving pieces of margarine creates a lighter biscuit. Be careful not to overwork dough.

Add the buttermilk and 1/2 cup mashed yam to the dough. Stir with fork to blend until a rough ball is formed.

Transfer dough ball to the floured wax paper and gently pat into a 1 inch thick rounded slab of dough. Cut 12 biscuits, dipping cutter into bowl of flour between each cut. Reform the dough if needed to be able to cut the last few biscuits. Place biscuits 1” apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425ºF for about 17 minutes. When done, transfer biscuits to cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™

This post first appeared on DailyForage.com. It’s been shared on Gluten Free Fridays #132 at VegetarianMamma.com.