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There is nothing like the taste of a freshly baked biscuits in the morning. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. We southerners (those from the Southern United States) are not the only people to love biscuits. Those connected with the British Empire love them too. The only difference is that they call them scones. To me, scones are just biscuits with other ingredients added to them such as dried fruits.

Although biscuits are traditionally flat and round, they can be found in a variety of shapes. It's the same for scones, which are traditionally triangular or wedged in shape. Besides perfectly round and triangular, they can also be found in diamond, square and other shapes.

Both biscuits and scones are made about the same way. Begin by combining the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knifes used in a scissors fashion. When combined, the dough will consist of little pea-sized balls.  Next add the liquid and other ingredients. Mix them to form a soft ball.

Knead the biscuits 10 to 12 times on a floured surface. Form them into a flat round. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the round until it's about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Use a floured biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuit rounds. Place these on an ungreased (or very lightly greased) cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. Biscuits can also be formed by dropping a rounded tablespoon or more of unrolled dough onto the cookie sheet for baking. Cat's Head Biscuits are large sized versions of the above.

Scones also need to be kneaded about 10 to 12 times. Next to shape them into triangles, the dough is shaped into a 9 inch by 6 inch rectangle. It is cut into approximately 6-3 inch squares. The squares are then cut diagonally to form triangles. To form scones into wedges, the dough is flattened and shaped into an 8 inch circle. Using the tip of a knife, the dough is scored to form 12 wedges. The wedges are not separated until after the dough is baked. 

Next Part 2> Tips for Making the Perfect Biscuit and/or Scone