LARD FROSTING RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together.Add spoonfuls of lard or shortening (use 1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons), then use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. Cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough 30 to 40 times, or until it becomes a cohesive ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a tea towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour. Roll into ping pong size balls, place on a tray, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.When you're ready to make the tortillas, head a dark or cast iron griddle to medium/medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Throw tortillas (one by one) onto the griddle. Cook on each side for 20 to 30 seconds, removing while tortillas are still soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container. To warm, nuke tortillas in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in the oven.Helpful tips:* Make sure the water you pour in is very warm.* Allow the dough to rest, both after kneading and after forming into balls.* Roll out very thin.* Get the heat right on your stove: Too hot, and the tortilla will burn in spots. Not hot enough, and the tortilla will begin to crisp before you can get it to brown. I get my stove between medium and medium high heat; that seems to do the trick. * Use a dark griddle or cast iron skillet to brown the tortillas. * Cook just long enough to lightly brown the tortilla in spots; don't cook too long or tortillas will crisp. You want them to be soft and pliable when you serve them.* Finally: Have fun! And enjoy them. They're absolutely scrumptious.

Steps:

• (Important note: You may substitute 2 1/2 cups buttermilk for the milk/vinegar mixture.)(Important note #2: If you use salted butter instead of shortening/lard, decrease the amount of salt you add.)Preheat the oven to 475 F.In a measuring pitcher, combine milk and vinegar. Stir together and set aside for 10 minutes. Note: You can use 2 1/2 cups buttermilk instead of the milk and vinegar if you have some on hand.In a large bowl sift together the flour and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the lard (or butter or shortening or both) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a fork or wooden spoon until it all comes together. Flour the surface, then turn out the dough and knead 10-15 times, adding a little flour so it's less sticky. Roll out dough to 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick and use a biscuit cutter to cut medium to small circles. Place on a baking sheet 1/2 inch apart and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and immediately brush on melted butter. To die for!***Baking time will vary depending on the size of the biscuit cutter you use. I made mini biscuits, which took about 9 to 10 minutes. Larger biscuits will take longer, so keep an eye on them as they bake.