The World’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits (from Reese Witherspoon)

Here is a recipe from Reese Witherspoon, who is quite the cook and baker.  The key to this recipe is the frozen, grated butter:

The World’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits

1/2 cup butter (one stick) frozen

2-1/2 cups self rising flour

1 cup chilled buttermilk**

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Grate frozen butter using larger holes of a box grater.  Toss together grated butter and flour in a medium bowl.  Chill 10 minutes.  Make a well in center of mixture, add the buttermilk and stir 15 times.  Dough will be sticky.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly sprinkle flour over top o dough.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle, about 9 x 5 inches.  Fold dough in half so short ends meet, repeat rolling and folding process 4 more times.  Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut with a 2-1/2 inch cutter floured, reshaping scraps and flouring as needed.  Place dough rounds on a parchment paper-lined jelly roll pan, bake at 475 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Brush with melted butter and serve hot!

 

**NOTE:  I keep powdered buttermilk powder in the refrigerator at all times.  It’s not quite as good as fresh buttermilk, but in a pinch (or at night when I don’t feel like going out to the store), it works quite well.