Buttermilk Biscuits

I tried this recipe out yesterday sans the currents and the scone (basically they are buttermilk biscuits and not scones) came out wonderful! This is a great "base" recipe to use - you can add to it anything you like - rosemary, cheese, meats, etc. This is a great "side" to serve with dinner instead of store-bought bread as it's very easy to make and who doesn't go nuts for a buttermilk biscuit? And from scratch no less!!

What is buttermilk anyway? Milk that's gone off? I need to do some wikipedia research..

Next time I will decrease and possibly omit the amount of sugar - it didn't overpower the scone/biscuit but there was definitely a hint of it which I would change if I could do it over.



Buttermilk Scones
c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved


Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup currants (optional)
1 tablespoon heavy cream, for brushing

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. Add currants, if desired.

Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round into 8 wedges and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade.