2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour, plus more for work surface and hands
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons cold lard or vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
4 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork. Transfer to a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Add the butter and lard and pulse the mixture in 2-second increments until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 pulses. At this point you can put in a bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to proceed.
Transfer the mixture back to the bowl, pour the buttermilk over it, add the crumbled bacon, and mix with the fork for about 1 minute, until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, knead with floured fingers once or twice, and pat it into a rectangle about 6 x 10 inches and 1 inch thick.
Fold the top third of the rectangle over the center third and fold the bottom third on top. Turn the dough a quarter turn, pat it into a 6 x 10 inch rectangle, and fold it upon itself in thirds again. Repeat one more time, then pat the dough into a 6 x 10 inch rectangle about 1 inch thick. ( Just a note here; it is more important that the dough be 1 inch thick, rather than 6 x 10. My dough was 5 x 9.)
Using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits from the dough and place them about 1 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. You may have to reroll the scrapes to get all of your biscuits. I had about 13 biscuits. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops just begin to brown.
Serve the biscuits warm with any of the following flavored butters.
1. Sorghum Butter - Combine 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup sorghum molasses. Cream together. Transfer to 2 4-ounce ramekins and refrigerate until needed.
2. Strawberry Butter - Combine 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam and a few grinds of black pepper. Cream together. Transfer to ramekins and refrigerate until needed.
3. Cinnamon Butter - Combine 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cream together. Transfer to ramekins and refrigerate until needed.