Buttermilk Biscuits
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Preheat your oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper portion. Get out a baking sheet; there’s no need to grease it. Line it with parchment if you like, for easiest cleanup.
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Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
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Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
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Work the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers, a fork or pastry blender, a stand mixer, or a food processor; your goal is an evenly crumbly mixture (think breadcrumbs).
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How to bake the best biscuits
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Drizzle the smaller amount of buttermilk evenly over the flour mixture. Mix quickly and gently for about 15 seconds, until you’ve made a cohesive dough. If the mixture seems dry and won’t come together, don’t keep working it; drizzle in enough milk — up to an additional 2 tablespoons (28g) to make it cohesive.
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Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Pat it into a rough rectangle about 3/4″ thick. Fold it into thirds like a letter and roll gently with a floured rolling pin until the dough is 3/4″ thick again.
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Cut the dough into circles with a biscuit cutter for traditional round biscuits; a 2 3/8″ cutter makes nice-sized biscuits. Or to avoid leftover dough scraps, cut the dough into squares or diamonds with a bench knife or sharp knife.
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Place the biscuits bottom side up on your prepared baking sheet; turning them over like this yields biscuits with nice, smooth tops. Brush the biscuits with milk, to enhance browning.
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Bake the biscuits for 15 to 20 minutes, until they’re lightly browned. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm.
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Store any leftover buttermilk biscuits, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage. Biscuits are always best when they’re rewarmed before serving.
