2 c All-purpose flour
4 ts Baking powder
2 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Shortening
3/4 c Milk
1/2 c Jelly or jam
Flour for cutting board and
-- rolling pin
"A perfect treat for an afternoon tea with friends."
: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put a sifter into a medium-size
mixing bow. Measure the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into
sifter. Then sift them into the bowl; set sifter aside.
: Add shortening to the mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork
to blend together shortening and flour mixture until it becomes a
coarse meal.
: Add milk; blend with a fork until mixture forms a soft ball of
dough. Sprinkle a little flour on the cutting board. Spread evenly
with your hands. Place ball of dough on cutting board and knead 12
times. To knead the dough, press down on it with the palms of your
hands then fold it in half. Press it and fold again. Add a little
more flour if dough sticks.
: Put more flour on cutting board and rolling pin. Roll out the
dough from the center to edges until it is about 1/4-inch thinck.
: With a 2- to 3-inch-round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut
circles, close together, out of the dough. Use the spatula tomove
half the circles to a cookie sheet. Place them 1-inch apart.
: With a 1-inch cookie cutter or bottle cap, cut a hole in the
center of the remaining circles. Lift these rings onto the top of
the solid circles on cookie sheet.
: Form a ball with remaining dough, roll it out and continue
forming circles and rings until all dough is used. Put 1 teaspoon
jelly into each ring.
: Bake the jelly biscuits 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Have an adult remove the biscuits from the oven to cool.
from "Samamntha's Cook Book" - one of a series of "American Girls"
books - recipe published in Houston Chronicle 1/31/96
