Cloud Nine Biscuits

This recipe was in the latest issue of Cook's Country. It's actually called Cat Head Biscuits--a reference to the size of the biscuits. We enjoyed these huge, fluffy biscuits so much that we decided to rename them. I altered the instructions to use a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can just whisk together the dry ingredients, then work in the softened butter and shortening with your hands, rubbing it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Continue as outlined below.

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1. MIX DOUGH Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9-inch cake pan. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl of food processor. Add butter and shortening to flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (you'll want to pulse it slightly more than you would normally for biscuits so you get fluffy rather than flaky biscuits). Transfer flour mixture to large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until just combined.

2. PORTION BISCUITS Use greased 1/2-cup measure or large spring-loaded ice cream scoop to transfer 6 heaping portions of dough into prepared pan, placing 5 around pan's perimeter and 1 in center.

3. BAKE BISCUITS Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes (check a few minutes early just in case). Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve. (Biscuits can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.)