Two heaping tablespoonfuls of sweet, firm lard.
Two cups of new milk (warm from the cow if you can get it.)
Two tablespoonfuls of baking powder.
One teaspoonful of salt.
Sift salt, flour, and baking-powder twice into a bowl or tray. With a clean sharp chopping-knife work the lard into this, turning and chopping until no lumps are left. Into a hollow in the middle pour the milk, working the flour downward until you have a soft, wet mass, using the chopper for this purpose. Flour your pastry-board and your hands, make the dough into a ball, handling it as little as possible, and lay on the board. Roll out with a floured rolling-pin into a sheet half an inch in thickness, and with very few strokes. Cut into round cakes, sift flour lightly over the bottom of a baking-pan, and set your biscuits—just not touching one another—in even rows within it.
Bake about twelve minutes in a quick oven. The dough should have a rough appearance before it is baked, like what is known as “pebbled morocco.” Too much handling will make it sleek without and tough within.
You can make excellent quick biscuits by the above receipt, by substituting Hecker’s Prepared Flour for the barreled family flour, and omitting the baking-powder. You will, however, probably be obliged to add a little more milk, as prepared flour “thickens up” rather more than other brands.