[nattysawer]

For one reason or another I end up with very small rice size rock hard lumps in my biscuits. Dry ingredients get sifted, lard cut in, and wet ingredients all mixed before being poured into dry. But end up with rock hard little lumps, almost break your teeth? Any help?

 

[berndy]

Did you add enough baking powder ? 

Was your baking powder very old ?

Did you have enough liquid ?

 

[norcalbaker59]

How strange. I wonder if the salt is crystallizing. When moisture evaporates salt can re-crystalize. Maybe dissolve the salt in the liquid rather than sifting with the dry ingredients. Also what type if salt are you using? Unrefined sea salt can be contaminated with impurities and trace minerals. There's certain applications where I dissolve salt in the liquid rather than adding it to the dry ingredients to ensure it dissolves and well distributed.

 

[nattysawer]

Yes. All measurements are correct! All products are new. New fresh flour, new baking soda. It's got me. I've been baking for 20+ years. It's almost like companies have changed something and I don't know lol!

 

[nattysawer]

I have thought of that but the little lumps are not salty in anyway. And I learned a lesson many many years ago using sea salt in baking just doesn't cut it!

 

[flipflopgirl]

It has to be in the ingredients...

What gage sifting screen are you using and are you pushing the leavings in the sifter thru?

Maybe the sifter wire is shedding?

IDK....Putin did it lol.

mimi

 

[chefwriter]

Try adding the dry in to the wet instead. that should help make a smooth mix.

 

[fablesable]

@nattysawer so I have come up against this before in my career. I found it was the change in the types, ratio and who was milling with the wheat flour. Many companies that I have used their flour for years are changing as a result go tougher grow years with the flour, different millers they have had to go to due to retirement or management changeover, etc. Makes for some poor quality flour where it used to be good. The hard bits are from the flour settlement due to the quality of process from said above. It sucks however I suggest you try a different flour or two until you get the consistency you are looking for minus the hard lumps.

It is not your method. It is the ingredients aka: flour. Start there.

HTH /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[nattysawer]

Well that was my thought. Sometimes you find this; but all my dry ingredients have been put through a fine sieve! I think it's a reaction between one another of the ingredients. I'll go to the city get fresh flour right from the mill, as well buy new baking powder and salt as well! I'm stumped.