– 2.5 cups Swans Down Cake Flour – 2 tsp. granulated sugar – 1.5 tsp. baking powder – 1 tsp. salt – 1/4 tsp. baking soda
– 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, frozen – 1.5 cups chilled buttermilk – 4 tbsp. salted butter (2 softened and 2 melted)
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. Using a box grater, coarsely grate the frozen shortening directly into the flour and gently fold it in with a spoon.
3. Make a well in the center of this mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Gently stir the buttermilk into the flour just until the dough comes together. It will still be a little wet and sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, but for no longer than 3 hours.
4. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with some of the melted butter, then refrigerate the pan to firm the butter. 5. Using a large spoon, scoop the dough into 10 mounds on the baking sheet, spacing the mounds at least one inch apart. Lightly dollop the softened butter on top of each mound.
6. Bake the biscuits until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining melted butter. 7. Place the biscuits in a basket and cover with a tea towel to keep warm until serving.