July/Aug 2006
(Makes approximately 24)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ tablespoons white sugar
- ¼ cup lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1/3 cup light cream
- 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450.
Sift flour, salt, baking powder and sugar together. Use a fork to cut the lard into the flour until it looks like coarse meal. Using a standing mixer, mix the dough as you slowly add the cream. Mix well to form the dough into a ball, adding water if needed.
Place the dough onto a large cutting board and knead slightly. With a mallet or rolling pin, beat the dough a few times to form it into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough over and then beat it out again. Repeat this process until the dough becomes white and blisters form on the surface (about 15 minutes).
Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into 2-inch rounds and prick the top a few times with the tines of a fork. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.
Allow the biscuits to cool to room temperature and, with a serrated knife carefully split in half.
Cover the bottom half of the biscuits generously with the Benedictine spread (see next recipe), return the top of each biscuit and serve as hors d’oeuvres, a snack or the bread for your meal.
