Ingredients
- 2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (preferably King Arthur)
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4teaspoon table salt
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 5tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled, or lard
- 3/4cup milk, cold
Directions
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Adjust rack to center position and heat oven to 450.°
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Mix first 3 ingredients in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Add butter; with your fingertips, a pastry blender, 2 knives, or steel blade of a food processor, mix, cut, or process butter and shortening into dry ingredients, until the mixture resembles dry oatmeal. (Transfer food processor mixture to a large bowl.)
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Stir in milk with a rubber spatula or fork until dry ingredients are just moistened. Let dough rest for 1 minute, then transfer it to a well-floured work surface.
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Roll the dough into a rough 6-by-10-inch rectangle. With the long edge of the dough facing you, fold in both short ends of the dough so that they meet in the center; then fold the dough in half by width, forming a package of dough four layers thick. Once again, roll the dough into a 6-by-10-inch rectangle 1/2-inch thick.
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Using a lightly greased and floured 2-inch cutter, stamp, with one decisive punch per round, 4 rows of 3 dough rounds, cutting them close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Dip cutter into flour before each new cut. Push the scraps of dough together so that their edges join; firmly pinch the edges with fingertips to make a partial seal. Pat the dough into small rectangle, fold it as before, and re-roll 1/2-inch thick. Cut out 3 or 4 more biscuits.
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Place dough rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet; brush dough tops with melted butter or milk. (May be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 hours.)
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Bake until biscuits are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.