Buttermilk Biscuits

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.

One of life's simple pleasures is a warm biscuit, split open, slathered with butter and topped with honey or jelly or fruit preserves.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F ( 220°C).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse, grainy meal.
3. Pour 3/4 cup buttermilk over flour mixture, stirring lightly with a fork until ingredients are evenly moistened, adding more buttermilk as needed. Dough should be soft, not stiff.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly a few times, about 30 seconds.
5. Roll to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness and cut with a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place in a greased iron skillet, or on a greased baking sheet (about 1-inch apart for crusty sides, or together for soft sides).
6. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Makes 10 biscuits.

*Or use self-rising flour and omit the baking powder, soda and salt.

Tip: 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.

Recipe and photograph by Hope Cantil; copyright © 1999; property of CooksRecipes.com. See Terms of Use.