These biscuits feature flaky layers made by lightly laminating the dough. Cold ingredients, a cool room & work table, using cold tools and a light touch are key to great results.
Ingredients
1200g cake flour (AP flour may be substituted, but the result will not be as tender)
24g salt
60g sugar
72g baking powder
420g cold butter (frozen may also be used if you have a sturdy, large-holed grater)
800g cold buttermilk (regular, whole milk may be substituted, but the result will be less flavorful)
34g melted butter, to brush on tops (for those in the US, just use what's left from the pound you've almost used up)
Preheat the oven to 350°
Line a plain half sheet pan with parchment paper or use a non-stick sheet pan.
On a clean work surface, sift together the dry ingredients in a mound. Cut in the cold butter until the chunks are about the size of peas. Random large chunks are good. If using frozen butter, grate it with a large-holed grater and toss with the flour to coat. Quickly create a well in the center of the flour mound with a bench scraper or fork. Pour the cold buttermilk into the cavity and start folding the flour/butter mixture into it with the bench scraper or fork. Once everything (except the melted butter) is barely incorporated into an ugly shaggy mass, use the bench scraper or fork to form a rough rectangle that is at least twice as wide as it is high, and about 2cm high. You should see random streaks of butter in the dough. Use a little flour on the board if needed. If too dry add a little bit of milk but be careful, this should start out as a fairly dry dough, the butter, as it cooks, will moisten it. Make a book fold by taking up each of the shorter-length ends of the rectangle and placing them touching each other on the center. Gently pat with tools, or roll quickly/lightly once or twice with a pin, to make an even rectangle about 2-3cm in height. Using a bench scraper or the back side of a long knife (carefully!) cut into grid of 16-24 biscuits. To make round biscuits, use a juice glass or round cutter and cut with one strong downward motion -do not twist or you will inhibit the rise. Scraps from making round biscuits can be lightly formed into shapes, generally 1-2 crazy biscuits result from cutting rounds.
Use a spatula to place the biscuits on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the melted butter.
Bake for about ten minutes, depending upon size. The tops should be golden, the bottoms light brown. They will continue to cook for a few minutes out of the oven.
Enjoy! These are best eaten immediately, I would not hold them for more than 6 hours.
