Sweet Biscuits for Breakfast or Shortcake

I wanted a sweet biscuit, but found that the more sugar I used, the heavier they would be. I started experimenting with a basic rolled biscuit recipe from The Joy of Cooking, and came up with this. The way you handle the dough is important, and be sure to use a sharp cutter to cut the rounds, so all of the edges puff up. A preheated oven and an insulated cookie sheet are necessary. If you don't have an insulated sheet, put two regular sheets together. Recipe is easily doubled. I've served this as shortcake with strawberries and whipped cream, and we also like it at breakfast with apple jelly.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour (I measure by fluffing up the flour, then dipping the metal cup into the canister and shaking the flo)
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour, for patting out the dough
• 1  teaspoon  regular table salt
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 3⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄4 lb  ice cold unsalted butter, if you have european style butter,use that
• 3⁄4 cup half-and-half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400, I place a rack in lowest position in the oven.
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Cut in butter.
4. Stir in liquid until it just begins to pull from the sides- it will be pretty moist.
5. Spread 1/4 C flour on a pastry board and dump the dough onto the flour.
6. Gently turn the dough until all sides are covered with flour.
7. Knead by gently rubbing the dough into the flour, a scant 8 to 10 turns.
8. Pat the dough into a 1 inch thich slab.
9. Cut into rounds with a sharp round biscuit cutter- I use a 2 1/2 inch cutter-- you can push the scraps together to make room to cut a few more, try not to knead it too much.
10. Place on insulated cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
11. Put in HOT oven and bake for 12- 15 minutes.
12. You can test by lifting the top layer of the center biscuit; if it's done it will look dry inside and the edges will be golden.
13. (I get 9 biscuits when I use a 2 1/2" cutter).