Buttermilk biscuits are a southern, down-home
favorite. Hot from the oven, this tender quick bread, with its
desirable ever-so-slightly tangy flavor, makes a great accompaniment
with just about any meal any time of the day. One of life's simple
pleasures is a warm biscuit, split open, slathered with butter
and topped with honey or jelly or fruit preserves.
Buttermilk Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk*
- Preheat oven to 425°F ( 220°C).
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,
sugar and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender until
the mixture resembles coarse, grainy meal.
- Sprinkle buttermilk over flour mixture,
stirring lightly with a fork until ingredients are evenly moistened.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured
surface and knead lightly a few times, about 30 seconds.
- Roll to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness and
cut with a floured 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Place on
a lightly greased baking sheet about 1-inch apart for crusty
sides, or together for soft sides.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly
browned. Remove immediately from baking sheet and serve hot.
Makes about 1 dozen biscuits.
*If buttermilk is thick, you may need to
add slightly more.
Cook's Note: There's no law that says biscuits
have to be round. For quicker, easier biscuits, roll dough into
a 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick rectangle and cut evenly into square
biscuits. This eliminates having to re-roll the scraps when using
a biscuit cutter.
