Retro Buttermilk Biscuits

I found a recipe in a 1982 cookbook from Sunset Magazine for biscuits that seemed worth trying.  I really wanted to try Cordelia Knott's recipe (served at Knott's Berry Farm's Chicken Restaurant), but I need to get my oven's control panel fixed first.  Most of the buttons don't work, including the ones needed to set an oven to 500ºF.  This recipe wants 450º, which I semi got around by doing 399º on convection, making it net 425º.  The repair is on my to-do list when I take off the High Holy Days.  It's a long list.

I suspect these would have been fluffier on a cool day.  The shortening lives in the fridge, and I used cold water (+ buttermilk powder).  I also used the laminating technique for biscuit building, which hadn't been invented in 1982.  It didn't help much.

Because I was futzing with the temperature, these were in the oven a wee bit too long.  I should have pulled them at 15 minutes, not 20.  If you make these properly, I'm suggesting 12-15 minutes.

2 C flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tb sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
*5 Tb vegetable shortening
3/4 C buttermilk

1.  Preheat oven to 450º.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar if using.  I made mine without because I was having it with pot pie filling.

2.  With fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk.

3.  Stir dough together until it sticks in a shaggy mess and leaves the sides of the bowl.  Turn out onto a lightly floured board, dust the top with a bit of flour, and knead several strokes, until it comes together.  If desired, fold over several times to make laminated layers.

4.  Pat or roll out to 1/2" thickness.  Using a floured 2" round cookie cutter, cut out biscuits.  Place biscuits on a baking sheet, touching for softer sides.  Squish the scraps together and pat out again, working as little as possible so the dough doesn't get tough.  Continue until all the dough is used.

5.  Bake 15-20 minutes (start checking at 12), until lightly browned.  Remove to a cooling rack.

Makes about 12 biscuits 

Difficulty rating  :)