Preparation / Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Divide the shortening, butter or lard into pieces and scatter them on top of the flour. Work the pieces into the flour with a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips until the pieces are about the size of peas. Gradually stir in milk or buttermilk, adding only enough to moisten the flour and hold the dough together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently two to three strokes. Using a light touch, pat or roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with floured 2 inch biscuit cutter, leaving as little dough between cuts as possible. Gather the remaining dough and re-roll one time. Discard scraps remaining after second cutting. Place biscuits on a baking sheet with sides touching for soft Southern-style biscuits. If you prefer biscuits with crisp sides like those served by most fast food chains, place biscuits close together but not touching. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Variation: White Lilly "Light" Drop Biscuits- For time-crunched cooks, drop biscuits are perfect. They have the added bonus of a crisp, crunchy top. Follow the recipe for biscuits, execpt use slightly more milk 3/4 to 1 cup. Then drop dough, using a heaping tablespoon, onto baking sheet. Bake as instructed above.
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