PAT-IN-THE-PAN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
Cook’s Country calls for baking buttermilk biscuits packed together in an 8inch square pan instead of on a cookie sheet. But I used a Le Creuset casserole dish because that’s all I could find in my son’s kitchen. In a pinch, you also could use a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
Using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour gives the biscuits a soft, delicate texture. Be sure to let them cool before removing them from the pan or they could fall apart.
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cups ( 16 ounces) cake flour, plus extra for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons table salt 2 cups buttermilk, chilled
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 8inch square baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Cut 10 tablespoons butter into ½inch pieces and freeze until chilled, about 15 minutes. Let remaining 1 tablespoon butter sit at room temperature to soften.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in bowl. Add chilled butter to flour mixture and smash butter between your fingertips into pea- size pieces. Gently stir in buttermilk until no dry pockets of flour remain. Using rubber spatula, transfer dough to the prepared pan.
Lightly sprinkle extra flour evenly over dough to prevent sticking. Using your floured hands, pat dough into even layer and into corners of pan.
Using bench scraper sprayed with vegetable oil spray, cut dough into 9 equal squares (2 cuts by 2 cuts) but do not separate. Bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Let biscuits cool in pan for 5 minutes. Using thin metal spatula, slide biscuits onto wire rack. Brush tops with softened butter. Let cool for 10 minutes. Pull biscuits apart at cuts and serve warm.