This one’s for everyone who will decide to believe and especially for my friend, Macy, who came close to drooling when I told her about these.  She’s not the only one I’ve told.  When I make this sort of thing, I generally sweep away the caloric guilt by telling myself that I’ll have just one and that I will then behave nutritionally for the remainder of the day.  Two Sundays ago, I succumbed and had two and then felt virtuous about not beating a path to the stove to whip up some sausage gravy.

I grew up with excellent, authentic biscuits.  They were an every Sunday promise and expectation at the breakfast table.  There was never a recipe, just flour, shortening (yes, sometimes lard), baking powder, etc. “eyed” and then added to the bowl.  Flour and shortening were cut together with a dinner fork, never a pastry blender because I don’t recall my grandmother or mother having one.  Then, hands with a knowing feel would shape the dough.  Neither did we have a biscuit cutter, just the floured rim of an old colored metal tumbler.  They baked at a temperature I can’t remember and then came the magic.  All these years I’ve searched and baked.  Many versions were good, but just not the real thing of my youth.

Then comes Karen at Shortbread who speaks to me and proclaims:  “Here it is!  The grand finale in my quest for the perfect buttermilk biscuit.  I have finally found, through many trials and tests….the recipe that I will be passing down to my children and their children.”

Me, too.  And I already have.  My son made them twice last weekend.  He wants to have breakfast sandwiches for tailgating next Saturday.  First attempt, not too good.  The dough was too sticky.  He reported perfection with the second try and the photo he emailed would support his contention.  We did have to have a lesson about the use of the pastry blender.  Unlike those before me, I do use one.

So make these.  And please give deserved thanks to Karen for sharing this gift.

Hot, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

from Shortbread

About 10 biscuits

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup butter, shortening or both, chilled

1 cup buttermilk, chilled

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 485 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Cut in the butter/shortening with a pastry blender until it is in pieces the size of large and small peas.  Stir in the buttermilk with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, knead the dough inside the bowl to incorporate all the flour. The dough should be sticky; add more buttermilk if it is too dry.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold over itself 2 or 3 times to make layers.  Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin or pat with hands to 3/4 inch thickness.  Cut out rounds of dough with a 3 inch biscuit cutter (don’t twist!) and place on a baking sheet so they almost touch. Push the scraps together and cut once more, then place the last of the scraps on the pan.  Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden brown, checking about halfway to rotate pan.  Brush biscuit tops with melted butter right after removing from the oven. Serve hot.

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Tags: Bakery, Breakfast