Tuesday, October 30, 2007

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450': Cut shortening into flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in almost all the buttermilk until the mixture rounds up into a ball and no dry ingredients remain in bowl. If dough is not pliable, add just enough milk to make a soft, puffy, easy-to-roll dough. (Too much milk makes dough sticky, not enough makes biscuits dry.)
Round up dough on lightly floured cloth¬covered board. Knead lightly 20 to 25 times, about 30 seconds. Roll a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart for crusty sides. Place close together in ungreased layer pan for soft sides. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. with butter, honey or jam if desired.

About 1-1/2 dozen biscuits.
*If using self-rising flour. omit baking powder and salt.

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