Buttermilk Biscuits – Using an Electric Mixer

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add butter to flour mixture and mix on medium speed, just until butter is incorporated (it should resemble course meal – it’s okay if there are a few small hunks of butter).
3. Switch whisk to the dough hook and with the machine running, add buttermilk all at once and mix just until dough begins to form a ball on the hook.
4. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured work surface (dough will be very wet). Sprinkle flour over the top and flour your hands, then pat dough to roughly a 7 by 11-inch rectangle (it should be around 1/2-inch thick).
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 15 (2-inch) square biscuits (3 biscuits across by 5 down).
6. Place biscuits in a buttered 7 by 11-inch baking dish (don’t use glass). Brush top of biscuits with melted butter.
7. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until the biscuits are light golden brown on top. Cool in pan.

Buttermilk Biscuits – Mixing By Hand

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add butter to flour mixture and, using two knives or a pastry cutter, blend in butter just until it’s incorporated (it should resemble course meal – it’s okay if there are a few small hunks of butter).
3. Make a well (hole) in the middle of the flour mixture and add buttermilk. Fold together until the milk is incorporated and the dough has started to come together. Don’t overwork. (Dough will be very wet.)
4. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured work surface. Sprinkle flour over the top and flour your hands, then knead, folding the dough over and then turning 1/4 of a circle, then folding again, etc. Fold it over a total of 4 times. It should come together and feel like a baby’s bottom or your earlobe.
5. Again using floured hands, pat dough to roughly a 7 by 11-inch rectangle (it should be around 1/2-inch thick).
6. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 15 (2-inch) square biscuits (3 biscuits across by 5 down).
7. Place biscuits in a buttered 7 by 11-inch baking dish (don’t use glass). Brush top of biscuits with melted butter.
8. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until the biscuits are light golden brown on top. Cool in pan.

Green Mayo

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until the herbs are finely chopped and the mayonnaise is a light green color.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Assembling Biscuit Sandwiches

1. When ready to assemble sandwiches, using large spatulas remove biscuits from pan in one large piece and place on a cutting board. (If not using right away, leave in pan and wrap with foil and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 2 days.) Carefully cut whole slab of biscuits in half horizontally.
2. Carefully flip the entire piece of biscuit tops over and set next to bottoms. It’s okay if a few of the biscuit tops separate from the others – just place them where they would be if they were still attached.
3. Generously spread mayonnaise on inside of biscuits top and bottom.
4. Place ham slices over mayo on biscuit bottom to cover, placing flat end of each slice on the outside longer edge of biscuits. Top with cheese slices (if using), spreading evenly.
5. Top with fresh basil leaves, placing so that one basil leaf will end up in each slider.
6. Carefully flip over biscuit tops and place on top (I use large spatulas). Using a sharp knife, cut between the biscuit tops, to separate into 15 sliders.