Help me with chicken and dumplings biscuits

[Dave W]

After a recent chicken and dumplings where the dumplings completely disintegrated I ate the resultant chicken porridge and I imagined that it could work as a baked biscuit using the soup for hydration.

I used some heavily reduced double chicken stock for half of the buttermilk in my normal biscuits recipe and schmaltz in place of butter. Also tried adding some chives and parsley like I would add to the dumplings in soup.

Still I find the flavor of chicken and dumplings lacks, it just tastes like a faintly chickeny buttermilk biscuit.

Sorry no pics but you know what biscuits look like right?

So what am missing? Do I need to use chicken glacé? Must I add better than bullion? Chicken frosting? Any modernist techniques I could use?

[andiesenji]

I just use my plain biscuit recipe - sometimes toss in some toasted onion or some finely chopped chives and a tiny bit of rosemary.

 

Self-rising flour and heavy cream. (2 cups flour 1 cup cream)  Nothing else.  Roll out and cut the biscuits and allow them to rest while the casserole is cooking.

 

I cook the chicken and vegetables, covered with foil until nearly done and the broth is thickened and bubbling.

 

I top the dish with the biscuits, return to the oven for about 20-22 minutes at 375°F.  or until they are nicely browned. 

 

Same process with beef, pork etc. 

[Norm Matthews]

Biscuit dumplings will disintegrate if you put them in boiling liquid. They should be put in a covered pot with the liquid simmering.

 

PS for drop dumplings I use an extra 1/4 C. milk to the basic biscuit dough.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Dave W]

Thanks for the advice I know it will be useful next time I make C&D

 

BUT

 

I was looking for some help with a concept dish : I'm trying to make baked buttermillk biscuits that taste like C&D soup dumplings, by altering the ratios

 

That is:

 

In C&D you'd make your biscuit topping with flour, buttermilk, baking powder, seasoning, and boil it in chicken soup.

 

I'm trying ot make a DRY biscuit that is baked with the flavors of C&D incorporated - so, flour, baking powder, buttermilk, butter, schmaltz, and chicken seasoning xyz

 

There's no problems with dumplings dropped in chicken soup tasting like chicken, it was only described in the OP by way of introduction.

[Norm Matthews]

Like Red Lobster which makes cheese biscuits, you could make chicken flavored biscuits but they won't taste like dumplings.  They will be biscuits unless you cook them the same way and consistency as dumplings.  For your experiment though, perhaps you should look up the recipe for cream biscuits and not use buttermilk.  Then you could start your experiment by dissolving some Better Than Bouillon chicken bouillon, for example, in the cream and make a batch to see how close they come to your goal.  BTW this recipe does not use any fat other than that which is in the cream. If you think schmaltz would help you might try using some in place of some of the cream but I think it will make the biscuit heavy.

[Dave W]

Thanks norm that sounds worth a try, I should try not to be beholden to the original ingredients list if I can achieve the result I'm looking for with another method.

[David Ross]

We've got some great ideas for the "dumplings" here at our previous Cook-Off.  I make a biscuit rather than a dumpling and put that on top of the chicken mixture that last portion of baking:

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/131488-chicken-and-dumplings-cook-off-51/

 

[pbear]

Frankly, Dave, I don't think this will work.  No matter what you do, the dominant flavor of a biscuit will be flour.  In an effort to be helpful, I suggest this.  Rather than all or part buttermilk, use buttermilk powder.  This will add that flavor component, which is also important, while leaving you free to pack as much chicken flavor into the liquid as you can.  Mix the buttermilk powder with the flour, rather than trying to reconstitute with the liquid.  Good luck.

[Lisa Shock]

I have made chicken flavor biscuits. You can take the basic recipe, either for drop biscuits or cut-in biscuits and dissolve some chicken base, about 2 tsp of Minor's for a home-sized batch of biscuits, into the cream or buttermilk. If it has sodium, reduce the salt in the biscuit recipe. I have seen people use shmaltz instead of butter in the cut-in type biscuit, I do not know how much it really boosts the flavor or adds to the experience.

[Susanne Hindle Kher]

Hi Dave, 

 

I'm not sure if I'm answering exactly what you're asking, but I've always added celery seeds and fresh (or dried) sage. I drop them by the spoonful into the pot with my chicken (just simmering...you almost want to steam them).  They absorb so much flavor from the thickened chicken broth (which I make very flavorful...with wine, a little saffron, thyme, celery and the usual suspects). I think your goal might be to have the dumplings absorb the flavor of the chicken, rather than put the flavor of the chicken "directly" in?  Best of luck!

[David Ross]

Frankly, Dave, I don't think this will work.  No matter what you do, the dominant flavor of a biscuit will be flour.  In an effort to be helpful, I suggest this.  Rather than all or part buttermilk, use buttermilk powder.  This will add that flavor component, which is also important, while leaving you free to pack as much chicken flavor into the liquid as you can.  Mix the buttermilk powder with the flour, rather than trying to reconstitute with the liquid.  Good luck.

In theory that may be true, but my actual experience has been the bottom of the biscuit soaks up the chicken gravy and you end up with the texture of a soft biscuit but you also have flavor from the sauce.  Certainly a matter of taste though.

[Norm Matthews]

Whenever I top a stew with biscuits and bake uncovered until browned and crispy on top, I call that a pot pie.  Moist drop-biscuits steamed in a covered pan make dumplings.

 

edit, then there are also something others call dumplings that resemble plump noodles. 

Edited November 22, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[pbear]

In theory that may be true ...

 

Oops, my bad.  Didn't notice there are two Davids participating in the thread.  My remarks were intended for the OP.

[Dave W]

I broke down a thanksgiving priced turkey today and am roasting the carcass for stock now. Will try to reduce some of the stock to glacé consistency and use this for cream biscuits, maybe with buttermilk powder if I can get out for some.

I will also add sage and celery seed, as suggested above. Thanks for the ideas everyone.

[Dave W]

I tried these turkey cream biscuits yesterday with about a TBSP of the glacé I made before celery seed and some marjoram because why not.

Verdict: cream biscuits are delicious, should be baked closer together, and don't really taste like turkey.

Thanks for all your suggestions, I'll keep working on this.

[Shalmanese]

Maybe try some Knorr chicken powder or other chicken bouillon as well. That extra jolt of MSG might be what's needed to bring it over the top.

[Lisa Shock]

Also, try brushing the tops with chicken fat instead of butter.