The Best Biscuits

The Best Biscuits

Ingredients:
wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched
leavening agents, baking powder, double-acting, sodium aluminum sulfate
leavening agents, baking soda
salt, table
shortening, vegetable, household, composite
milk, buttermilk, fluid, cultured, lowfat
butter, without salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450.
In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Using your fingers, work in the lard just until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir in the buttermilk just until moistened.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times.
Roll out or pat the dough 1/2 inch thick.
Using a 2-inch round cutter, stamp out biscuits as close together as possible.
Transfer the biscuits to a baking sheet.
Pat the dough scraps together, reroll and cut out the remaining biscuits; do not overwork the dough.
Pierce the top of each biscuit 3 times with a fork and brush with the butter.
Bake the biscuits for 12 to 14 minutes, or until risen and golden.
Serve at once.