If you don’t have self-rising flour, mix 2 1/4 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
If you find it easier to handle the butter with one hand and a knife, rinse your hand in cold water first, so you won’t warm up the butter too much. You can also grate the butter into the flour if that’s easier for you. [2] X Expert Source JoAnna MinneciProfessional Chef Expert Interview. 23 December 2021. If the butter seems to get soft, place it in the freezer after you cut it into chunks. Remove it after it cools for about 10 minutes.
It’s important not to overblend the mixture, since working the flour too much results in tough biscuits. [4] X Expert Source JoAnna MinneciProfessional Chef Expert Interview. 23 December 2021. Leaving tiny bean-sized pieces of butter will create pockets of buttery, flaky goodness in the finished biscuits. To determine whether the mixture has been blended enough, pinch a bit of dough between your thumb and forefinger. If the dough stays together, it’s ready for the next stage. If it’s still too powdery and crumbly to hold together, blend it a little more, then test it again.
If you want thinner biscuits, roll the dough a bit flatter so it’s 1⁄2 inch (1. 3 cm) thick. Folding the dough in this way creates a lot of flaky layers. For more layers, continue gently folding and pressing the dough.
Biscuits are usually round, but you can cut them into squares if you prefer. You could also leave the dough uncut and use it as a top crust for chicken pot pie. At this point you can cover the tray of raw biscuits with plastic wrap and freeze them. When you’re ready to bake them, simply place them in a preheated oven.
