Buttermilk Biscuits
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk
Melted butter for brushing tops of biscuits
- Preheat oven to 425*F ( 220*C).
- Combine flours, baking powder, baking
soda, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening and butter 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.
- Brush tops liberally with melted butter.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly
browned. Remove immediately from baking sheet and serve hot.
Makes about 1 dozen biscuits.
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.