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Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Both of my grandmothers had a knack for making hot-out-of-the-oven, light and flaky biscuits that would almost float off the countertop all by themselves. Slather with sweet butter and drizzle with some honey. Or even better, take a fork (yes, a fork) and pull a biscuit apart. Tuck a slice of salty country ham between the halves. I could eat a whole batch of these flaky biscuits in one sitting. I'll try to control myself and save one or two for you."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons baking powder
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ â…” cup butter-flavor all-vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into ½-inch dice
â—¦ 2 cups buttermilk
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Add the shortening. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut through the shortening and flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just until combined. The dough will be very moist and sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board or work surface and gently pat or roll it into a round about ½ inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds, as if folding a letter, and reroll it into a round 2 inches thick.

Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Gather up the scraps, gently roll out the dough, and cut out additional biscuits. Transfer the biscuits to a nonstick baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are puffed and golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack until you can't wait any longer. As the biscuits cool, brush the tops with the melted butter.

Makes 6 to 8 biscuits



• There are as many biscuit recipes as there are biscuit lovers. To make your biscuits stand out from the rest, follow these easy tips: Make sure the buttermilk and the shortening are ice cold. And if you want fluffy, flaky biscuits, don't overmix, overhandle, or overknead the dough. A gentle touch means light and airy biscuits.