GRAN JAN'S BISCUITS

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS – Doubles easily!
(This makes about 10-12 medium sized biscuits.)
2 1/2 cups of White Lily self-rising flour
1 stick of frozen (or very very cold) butter (I use salted)
1 cup of WHOLE buttermilk, not lowfat!
1/2 stick of melted butter to brush biscuit tops when done

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a cast iron skillet or baking sheet pan w/Crisco. I prefer cast iron all the way!
3. Measure 2 1/2 cups of self-rising flour into a large bowl. Now, using a grater, grate the cold butter into 2 1/2 cups of self-rising flour. Use the bigger “side” of the grater, not the coarse grind side. Toss flour and butter together. 
4. Next, pour the 1 cup of buttermilk into the flour/butter and mix well. Using a spatula, stir about 15-17 times. Don’t overmix.
5. Now wash and dry your hands well and then “dust” your hands with more flour.
6. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and pat it all into a nice rectangle shape about the size of a piece of notebook paper, about 1/2″ thick. Fold the dough up and over so it’s in half, and then turn it clockwise, fold in half again, and turn again. Do this about 4-5 times. This creates all the layers in your biscuits.
7. Using a 2 1/2 to 3″ biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Refold the dough as needed. Place them on a greased cast iron skillet and bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter.

   
   NOW FOR THE "PINCH-PAT-PLACE" HAND-ROLLED METHOD: 
   1.  With floured hands, pinch off some dough, enough to fit in your palm  (you’ll get the size down as you make more and more biscuits) and roll it by cupping your hands with your palms sufficiently floured. Don’t handle the dough too much – my Grandmother always told me the biscuits would be tough if you overwork the dough. Just a quick knead is all you need! You will get better each time you make biscuits.
   2.  Place the biscuits on the pan so they touch each other – this makes them softer. There’s a lesson here in staying close and working together! Amen!
   3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve.  
   
   I can make biscuits both ways – rolling out the dough and cutting them with a biscuit cutter, or as a pincher-patter-placer biscuit maker, which is how my Granny taught me. I prefer to roll the dough and cut the biscuits out with a biscuit cutter. I have a nice collection of biscuit cutters.
   
   EITHER WAY YOU CHOOSE: Always do the following:
   Accurately measure ingredients. Flour is measured by the “SPOON & LEVEL” method – spooning into a measuring cup and leveling off with a straight edge (like a butter knife). Sifting is not needed.
   
   Butter should be cold, very cold.  Cold enough to grate. I keep butter in the freezer all the time to be ready to make biscuits. 
   
   Always use whole buttermilk,  not low-fat! And the buttermilk should be very cold!
   
   Mixing the liquid ingredients into the dry ones can be done effectively with a fork or a spatula. Either way, just don’t overmix.
   
   If using a biscuit cutter, just cut straight down without twisting the cutter to ensure tall, straight biscuits.
   
   Place on a cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet 1-inch apart for crusty sides or touching for soft sides.