BEATEN BISCUITS
To win unending gratitude, serve these to any homesick Southerner (for extra points, serve with country ham and pepper jelly). To ensure the tender, fine-grained texture characteristic of these biscuits, the dough must be thoroughly beaten. This is a labor of love, although version II makes the process much easier. Beaten biscuits can be stored, airtight, at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Stir together thoroughly in a large bowl:
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Add:
- ½ cup (95g) chilled lard or vegetable shortening
Cut in the fat with a pastry blender or your fingers until the consistency of cornmeal. Add, stirring to make a stiff dough:
- About 1 cup (235g) ice water
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Beat the dough with a rolling pin until it is blistered, folding it over frequently. This is a long process, requiring 30 minutes or more or about 500 whacks. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F.
When the dough is smooth, roll it to a thickness of ½ inch and cut it with a floured 1 ½-inch biscuit cutter. Knead the scraps together, then roll, fold, and cut in the same manner. Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet and brush the tops with:
- Melted butter
Pierce each biscuit with a fork in 3 places. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine in a food processor and process for 5 seconds:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Add and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 seconds:
- ¼ cup (50g) chilled lard or vegetable shortening
Add and process for 3 minutes:
- ½ cup (120g) ice water
The dough will be soft and putty-like, something like melted mozzarella. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 10 minutes.
On an unfloured surface, roll the dough out to a little more than ⅛ inch thick. Fold it in half, making 2 layers, and roll lightly, just enough to make the dough layers adhere to one another. Cut out 2-inch rounds with a floured biscuit cutter. Knead the scraps together, then roll, fold, and cut in the same manner. Arrange the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet so they are close together but not touching. Prick each biscuit with a fork 3 times. Bake until the tops are golden brown and the bottoms are deep brown, 18 to 22 minutes.