American Biscuits are a Southern US classic. They're effectively savoury buttermilk scones that are flaky rather than crumbly & make an excellent side or breakfast. Ideally served warm and smothered with butter, I can’t stop eating them!
Measure 225g Plain Flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp Baking Powder and 0.5 tsp Sea Salt Flakes directly to the flour.
Weigh out 75g Salted Butter and use a sharp knife to cut it into small cubes. Add the cubes to the flour.
Use the tips of your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it has the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. You do not need to rub in as well as if you were making British Scones. Some small lumps are fine.
Slowly add 250ml Buttermilk to the flour mix a little at a time. Keep stirring until a soft dough forms. It will be soft and a little sticky. You may not need to add all the Buttermilk. You will need to add much less if it is homemade and on the thin side.
Dust a clean flat surface with flour and empty the dough onto the surface.
Knead the dough until it comes together and is much smoother. Don’t be too rough with it however or you will create tough biscuits.
Roll the dough into a rectangle about 2cm thick. Dust with more flour as needed.
Fold one third of the dough on top of the rest of the rectangle.
Fold the remaining uncovered third on top of the last fold.
Roll the dough back out into a rectangle of the same size. Repeat the folding and cutting twice more until you have 9 layers in total.
Finally roll the dough back out to a depth of roughly 2 cm.
Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into squares. Trim the edges if you wish.
Or use a cookie cutter to make rounds.
Use a little of the remaining 15g Salted Butter to grease your preferred baking tin.
Move the biscuits to the greased tin. They can be placed quite close together.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with any leftover buttermilk if available.
Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and melt the remaining butter in the microwave or in a small pan.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter whilst still hot.