Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

• 3 1/2 cups self-rising soft wheat flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 to 1 cup self-rising soft wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Combine first 3 ingredients until well blended. Cut in shortening and chilled butter with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly. Add buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface; sprinkle with 1/2 cup self-rising flour. Knead 20 to 25 times, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour until dough is smooth and springy to touch.
3. Pat dough into a 3/4-inch-thick circle (about 8 1/2 inches round). Cut dough with a well-floured 2-inch round cutter, making 12 biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Knead remaining dough together 3 or 4 times; repeat procedure, making 6 more biscuits. Lightly brush tops with melted butter.
4. Bake at 500u0b0 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden.
5. Note: For testing purposes only, we used White Lily Self-Rising Soft Wheat Flour.
6. Rosemary Biscuits: Stir 2 to 3 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary into dry ingredients. Proceed as directed.
7. Parmesan-Pepper Biscuits: Stir 1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper into dry ingredients. (Less flour will be required while kneading.) Proceed as directed.

soft wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, shortening, butter, buttermilk, soft wheat flour, butter

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fluffy-buttermilk-biscuits (may not work)