Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

I am always on the search for a great biscuit recipe. I found this one in my borrowed copy of The Bread Bible and decided it must be tried. The method behind it is much different than other recipes because the dough is so moist that the dough isn't rolled out. They amazing right out of the oven.

Southern Biscuits
taken from The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Preheat oven 500°

Using Crisco, grease bottom and sides of an 8" round cake pan. Dust pan with flour.

In food processor, pulse together:
1 1/2 cups Lilly White flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening

Transfer to a large bowl.

Pour in:
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
With a fork, mix together completely to form a very wet dough. Let sit for two to three minutes so that dough stiffens a bit.

In a smaller bowl, place at least:
1 cup Lilly White flour

Coat hands with flour. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop up dough and place in the middle of the bowl with flour. Cover the top of the dough with flour. Then use your right hand to cup underneath the blob of dough, making sure to get both flour and dough. Move the dough back and forth between your right and left hands until most of the excess flour has fallen back into the bowl, shaping it as you go.

Place biscuit in greased cake pan. Repeat 6-7 additional times.

Bake for 5 minutes and then reduce heat to 475. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Two minutes before removing biscuits from the oven, brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Remove from oven. Let cool for several minutes before removing from the pan.

Separate biscuits and use a fork to split in half while they are still warm. Spread butter and jelly on each side of the biscuit.

Eat up (immediately)!