Buttermilk biscuits
Makes 10 to 12
| Butter (for the baking sheet) | |
| 2 | cups flour |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1/4 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
| 1/4 | cup solid vegetable shortening |
| 1 1/2 | cups buttermilk |
| Flour (for sprinkling) |
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the shortening into flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles grains of rice.
3. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup of the buttermilk.
Notes:Mix in the buttermilk with your fingertips until the dough is loose and wet. It should be hard to handle. If it is tight and dry, add a little bit more buttermilk. Overworking the dough will make the biscuits tough.
4. Gather the dough into a ball and turn it out onto a floured board. Flatten the dough with your hands. With a rolling pin, roll the dough about 3/4-inch thick. Using the cutter, stamp out biscuits, dipping the cutter into flour each time.
5. Place biscuits on the buttered sheet. Using your fingers, pat the top of each biscuit with the remaining buttermilk.
6. Bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are golden on top. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Adapted from Deb Pettengill 
© Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
