Baking Powder Biscuits

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 425F.
2. 2
   Into a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. 3
   Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. 4
   Add milk and heavy cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined (mixture will be wet).
5. 5
   Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and with floured hands turn dough to coat evenly.
6. 6
   Knead dough gently 4 to 6 times, or just until smooth (do not overwork dough), and pat or roll out dough into an 8-inch round (slightly more than 1/2 inch thick).
7. 7
   Using a floured 2- to 2 1/2-inch star-shaped or round cutter cut out biscuits and arrange about 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
8. 8
   Gently pat out or roll out dough scraps and cut out more biscuits in same manner.
9. 9
   Bake biscuits, 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven until pale golden and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
10. 10
    Transfer biscuits as baked to a basket lined with a cloth and cover with cloth to keep warm and moist.
11. 11
    Serve biscuits with butter.