"go To" Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

After toying with several biscuit recipes, this is the closest to what I grew up with in Nashville. Not quite Miss Carol's, but they're good!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour (preferably White Lily)
• 3 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1  cup buttermilk (or 1tbsp white vinegar in 1c sweet milk)
• 3  tablespoons butter (Cold, Unsalted)
• 5  tablespoons shortening (Preferably Butter Flavored)
• 2  tablespoons butter (Melted, for brushing)

Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 450* Farenheit.
2. While oven is warming, mix flour with baking powder and salt. Then, cut cold ingredients (butter, shortening) into dry mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until no particles larger than pebbles are present; refrigerate mixture until the oven reaches temperature.
3. Mix in buttermilk until mixture just comes together as a sticky dough; how much you use will depend on the day's humidity.
4. Knead on a well floured surface by patting dough out into a sheet, then folding in half and in half again. Repeat 4 times.
5. Using a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass, cut rounds that are about 3" in diameter.
6. Place on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil (no grease needed) so that sides are touching.
7. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
8. If desired, brush with melted butter before serving.
9. Serve plain with butter, or with honey/jelly/jam/apple butter, or use to make breakfast sandwiches with bacon/sausage/egg/cheese or any combination thereof.