Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) very cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
  • 4 tablespoons Cold Vegetable Shortening (or Lard)
  • 1 cup Cold Buttermilk
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter, melted (for dipping)
  • ¼ teaspoon Flaky Sea Salt (optional, for finishing)

Instructions:

  1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add the cold cubed butter and shortening to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, cut the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Keep ingredients cold.
  3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cold buttermilk all at once. Gently mix with a fork until just combined. The dough will look shaggy; do not overmix.
  4. Lightly flour a surface. Turn the dough out and gently pat it into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds (like a letter). Turn, pat again, and repeat the fold one more time (two folds total). Wrap tightly and chill for 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough out to about ¾-inch thickness.
  6. Dip your biscuit cutter in flour and cut straight down, avoiding twisting the cutter. Place biscuits close together on the prepared baking sheet for soft sides.
  7. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped.
  8. While biscuits bake, melt the ½ cup of butter for the dip.
  9. Immediately upon removing the hot biscuits from the oven, arrange them in a heatproof dish. Pour the melted butter evenly over the tops, ensuring they soak up the butter. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if using. Serve immediately!