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1
Preheat the oven to 500F.
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2
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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3
Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
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4
Pour in the buttermilk, and gently mix until just combined.
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5
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
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6
Knead lightly, using the heel of your hand to compress and push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself.
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7
Give the dough a small turn and repeat 8 or so times.
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8
(Its not yeast bread; you want to just barely activate the gluten, not overwork it.)
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9
Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out 1/2 inch thick.
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10
Cut out rounds of dough with a 2 1/4-inch round cutter dipped in flour; press the cutter straight down without twisting so the biscuits will rise evenly when baked.
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11
Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet or in an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan.
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12
If the biscuits are baked close together the sides will be moist.
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13
If the biscuits are baked further apart, the sides will be crisp.
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14
Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
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15
Transfer to a rack to cool just slightly.
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16
Serve warm.
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17
If I dont feel like rolling out biscuits, or just want a different texture, I tweak the recipe by adding more buttermilk to the dough and make drop biscuits: use 3 cups of flour2 for the dough and 1 cup placed in a bowl to shape the dough into biscuits.
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18
Increase the buttermilk to 2 cups.
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19
The dough will be very wet and resemble cottage cheese.
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20
To form the biscuits into balls, scoop up some dough with a large ice cream scoop; place the dough balls in the bowl with the 1 cup of flour.
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21
Working one at a time, roll the balls to coat in flour, then set in an ungreased 8- by 2-inch round cake pan.
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22
The baking time will be the same as for cut biscuits.
