Two cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
Two teaspoons of active dry yeast
One teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup of buttermilk
Milk
Two cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
Two teaspoons of active dry yeast
One teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup of buttermilk
Milk
Sift together the flour, yeast, and salt
Cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs
Make a well in the center of the mixture and add all the buttermilk at once
Mix with a fork until the dough is smooth
Gently shape the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured surface
Knead 10 to 15 times
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness
Cut with a sharp knife or pastry cutter passed through flour
If desired, shape into balls for soft-edged shortbread; if desired, shape into rectangles for crispy-edged shortbread
Place on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving space between each biscuit
Brush with milk
Bake in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown
Yield: Two dozen biscuits.
