CAROLS BISCUITS

Steps:

• 1. Cut butter with a sharp knife or pastry blender into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle butter slices over flour in a large bowl.
• 2. Toss butter with flour. Cut butter into flour. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas.
• 3. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• 4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed.
• 5. With floured hands, press or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle (about 9x5 inches)
• 6. Sprinkle top of dough with additional flour. Fold dough over onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end.
• 7. Fold dough rectangle as if folding a letter size picas of paper. Repeat entire process 2 more times, beginning with processing into a 3/4 inch thick dough rectangle (about 9x5 inches).
• 8. Press or pat dough to 1/2 inch thickness on a lightly floured floured surface, cut with a 2 inch round cutter and place side by side on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased jelly-roll pan. Dough rounds should touch.
• 9. Bake at 450 for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• 10. Note: For testing purposes only we used White Lily self-rising soft wheat flour.
• 11. Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits: Omit 2 tablespoons melted butter. Combine 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/3 cup chopped pecans with flour in a large bowl.
• 12. Proceed with recipe as directed . Stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons buttermilk until smooth. Drizzle over warm biscuits. Makes 2/-1/2 dozen.
• 13. Black Pepper Bacon Biscuits: Combine 1/8 cup cooked and crumbled bacon slices (about 5 slices) and 1 teaspoon black pepper with flour in a large bowl. Proceed with recipe as directed. Makes 2-1/2 dozen.
• 14. Feta Oregano Biscuits: Combine 1 (4 oz) package crumbled feta cheese and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano with flour in a large bowl. Proceed with recipe as directed. Makes 2-1/2 dozen.
• 15. Pimento Cheese Biscuits: Combine 1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese with flour in a large bowl. Reduce buttermilk to 1 cup. Stir together buttermilk and 1 (4 oz) jar diced pimento, undrained. Proceed with recipe as directed. Makes 2-1/2 dozen.