Baking Powder Biscuits

American Bread Recipes

2 cups flour 4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 5 Tbsp. shortening 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. milk

Light and fluffy, these biscuits are great on the side - or enrobed in sausage gravy. Yield: 8 - 10 (1 1/2 inch) biscuits - more if your biscuit cutter is smaller, less if your biscuit cutter is larger Preheat oven to 425° F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Place shortening on top. Using a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour mixture until particles are about the size of small peas (coarse meal). Use a relaxed flick of the wrist (Yes, really.) to keep dough mixture from becoming a compact mass. There's a funny little twist you use to keep the cutter cutting the shortening into the flour - the whole point of this exercise is to cut the fat into tiny bits and distribute it evenly throughout the dough. If necessary, run finger across inside arc of pastry blender to release shortening. Pour in 3/4 cup milk all at once. Stir just until mixture holds together. Turn out onto floured work surface and knead lightly 10 to 12 times. Roll or pat dough to thickness of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Once you've cut all the biscuits you can, reroll dough and cut again. Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet. Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp. milk. Bake at 425°F until golden brown, 12 to 15 mins. Makes 8 to 10 (1.5-inch) biscuits. Enjoy! -Diana

Submitted by Diana Bogue
Contributed on: Friday February 27th, 2009 and modified on Sunday May 2nd, 2010