Buttermilk Biscuits

Step 1

Cut the butter into cubes and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Step 3

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter, and working with a pastry cutter or your hands, work the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal. There will still be some chunks of butter, but they shouldn’t be more than about the size of a pea.

Step 4

Add the buttermilk and stir just until the dough starts to come together.

Step 5

Flour a counter or work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead the dough just enough to bring it all together.

Step 6

Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 10 inches wide and 5 inches tall. Fold 1/3 of the dough on one side over into the middle, then fold the opposite side over. (See photos above for reference.)

Step 7

Pat the dough into another rectangle, this time 5 inches wide and 10 inches tall. Fold each side of the dough to the middle again.

Step 8

Pat the dough into another rectangle 10 inches wide by 5 inches tall. Use a round cookie cutter or a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits.

Step 9

Take any scraps and form into a new rectangle. The more you work with the dough, the tougher the biscuits will become, so I only fold the scraps once instead of twice. Cut out the remaining biscuits.

Step 10

Place the biscuits on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

Step 11

Brush the biscuits with the heavy cream.

Step 12

Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake just until the biscuits have risen tall and browned, about 16 minutes.

Step 13

Remove from the oven and brush with the melted butter.