Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2.3 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 0.3 cup butter chilled cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1.5 cups buttermilk 
• 0.3 cup shortening 
• 2.3 teaspoons sugar 
• 0.5 cup flour soft
• 3.5 cups flour soft

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• blender

Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients until well blended.
2. Cut in shortening and chilled butter with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly.
3. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface; sprinkle with 1/2 cup self-rising flour. Knead 20 to 25 times, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour until dough is smooth and springy to touch.
5. Pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick circle (about 8 1/2 inches round).
6. Cut dough with a well-floured 2-inch round cutter, making 12 biscuits.
7. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Knead remaining dough together 3 or 4 times; repeat procedure, making 6 more biscuits. Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
8. Bake at 500 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden.
9. Note: For testing purposes only, we used White Lily Self-Rising Soft Wheat Flour.
10. Rosemary Biscuits: Stir 2 to 3 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary into dry ingredients. Proceed as directed.
11. Parmesan-Pepper Biscuits: Stir 1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper into dry ingredients. (Less flour will be required while kneading.) Proceed as directed.