Angel Biscuits

Ingredients

• 0.3 ounce active yeast dry dissolved in 1/4 cup very warm water (105° to 115° f.)
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 2 cups buttermilk 
• 5 cups flour all-purpose sifted fine (preferably a southern flour; see headnote)
• 1 cup a half-and-half mixture of the two packed
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 0.3 cup sugar 

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• mixing bowl
• blender
• rolling pin

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the texture of coarse meal.
3. Add the buttermilk and yeast mixture and toss briskly with a fork just until the mixture forms a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and with floured hands, knead lightly for about a minute. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until 5/8 inch thick; then, using a well-floured 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch cutter, cut into rounds.
5. Place on ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut as before.
6. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until the biscuits are nicely puffed and pale tan on top.
7. Serve at once with plenty of butter.
8. From the book A Love Affair with Southern Cooking: Recipes and Recollections by Jean Anderson. Copyright © 2007 Jean Anderson. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of Harper
9. Collins Publishers.