Makes 10 biscuits
- 2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chilled shortening, cut into pieces (I use butter)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Melted butter
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the oven rack slightly below the center of the oven.
- Lightly butter a round cake pan or cast-iron skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt.
- Snap the pieces of shortening with your fingers until the shortening pieces are no larger than peas.
- Make a well in the mixture and pour in the cream and ⅔ cup of the buttermilk.
- Using your hands or a rubber spatula, sweep in the flour and turn the dough until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough resembles cottage cheese, adding enough of the remaining ⅓ cup buttermilk to reach this consistency.
- Sprinkle the rolling surface with flour.
- Turn the dough out onto the surface and sprinkle the top with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half and pat the dough into a ⅓- to ½-inch-thick round, using additional flour as needed.
- Flour again if necessary and fold the dough in half a second time.
- If the dough is still clumpy, repeat the folding process for a third time.
- Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into the flour and cut out biscuits, ensuring you do not twist the cutter.
- Place the biscuits in the pan, sides slightly touching.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown, rotating the pan 180° after 6 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and brush the biscuits again with melted butter.
- I prefer the drop-biscuit (i.e., using a larger spoon to just drop the dough in a heated cast iron skillet) approach over the rolling out method. If you prefer the same, skip steps 7-11.
- I also find it easier to just grate the butter in. This makes mixing the dough much quicker.