Laura Liebmann gave me this recipe as part of a great collection of recipes and household tips from my Hillsdale bridal shower. Shortening-based recipes are great for families like ours with dairy allergies/intolerance, and it’s easy to substitute the milk with silk or rice milk (either have worked well for us).
Biscuits Supreme
2 cups sifted flour (I’ve used 1/3 cup whole wheat in there)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup shortening (butter-flavored transfat-free crisco is my shortening of choice)
2/3 cup milk (or Silk or rice milk)
Mix the dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk all at once, and stir until the dough follows the fork. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for half a minute. Pat to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter (we use a glass). Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 450 for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Makes about 16.
(I’ve also just done these as ball biscuits when I’m short on time–I skip the kneading and just shape the dough into a ball before I drop it on the pan. They are more crumbly that way but go well with chili, stews, and other dishes that Derek would crumble his biscuits into, anyway.)