Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
½ cup sour cream (4 ounces; 113g)
10 ounces all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups; 284g), plus additional for dusting
1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (4 ounces; 113g), cut into 1/4-inch pats, plus 2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 28g) melted unsalted butter for brushing
Directions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and process until blended, about 2 seconds. Scatter cold butter evenly over flour and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the largest butter pieces are about 1/4-inch at their widest, about 8 times. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until it just comes together, adding extra flour as necessary.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle. Using a bench scraper, fold the right third of the dough over the center, then fold the left third over so you end up with a 12- by 4-inch rectangle. Fold the top third down over the center, then fold the bottom third up so the whole thing is reduced to a 4-inch square. Press the square down and roll it out again into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle. Repeat the folding process once more. (See notes for cheddar cheese and scallion variation.)
- Roll the dough again into a 10- by 6-inch rectangle (about 1-inch thick). Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut eight 2 1/2–inch rounds out of the dough. Transfer the rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Form the dough scraps into a ball and knead gently 2 or 3 times, until smooth. Roll the dough out until it’s large enough to cut out 4 more 2 1/2-inch rounds, and transfer to the baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter and bake until golden brown and well risen, about 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve.
Notes