Our Savior teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
But which bread?
In the Hardin household, it is Thomas Jefferson’s sweet potato biscuits. Not really our daily bread, but one that has become a staple of our holiday festivities. The recipe below is a gift to all my friends and followers, from my family to yours. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Merry Christmas and may the peace of Christ’s love be with you all.
Thomas Jefferson’s Sweet Potato Biscuits
These biscuits are adapted from Thomas Jefferson’s food writings. They include one of the president’s favorite ingredients: pecans. In fact, three pecan trees dating back to 1775, still grow at Monticello. Both pecans and sweet potatoes were available in 1830’s Texas. These biscuits have become a vital component of the Hardin family holiday fare. Makes about 2 dozen biscuits.
5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar (or you can use Splenda brown sugar!)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups roasted, mashed, and cooled sweet potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and allspice.
Add the shortening and cut in with 2 knives until crumbly.
Add the sweet potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Add the cream and pecans and stir just until moistened.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to 1 ½ inches thick, Cut out with a 2-inch floured biscuit cutter. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack until room temperature. (I’ve had them both ways. They’re best served warm right out of the oven.—S.L.H.)
Note to Chef: This biscuit dough freezes beautifully unbaked. Just layer the dough between wax paper and store for up to three months. Defrost the dough and follow baking directions. It pays to make a double batch of these biscuits and freeze half for later.
Just for Fun …
Jefferson designed the Monticello Grove to be an ornamental forest where he and his guests could enjoy what one visitor described as his “pet trees.” Take a look at this inspiring article on the Monticello.org website about the trees (including pecan). It’s said that some of the pecan trees that Jefferson originally planted are still in the gardens today!