Grandma LaTrelle's Homemade Biscuits (aka Candace's Homemade Biscuits a la Hockey Puck)

So, I've been craving my Grandma LaTrelle's biscuits.  I have the recipe.  I've had the recipe for years, in fact.  Unfortunately, when the craving hit, I only had enough flour to make half a recipe.  This is when the trouble started.  Baking is like chemistry.  One must not fool with the fine balance of wet and dry ingredients, you see.  So, I threw my lab coat (apron) on and went to work.  I am not sure if I should just continue on with the pictures or go ahead and throw in the punch line...

I think I will just draw this out a little more... 

Here we go!

Grandma LaTrelle's Homemade Biscuits
Note: These are her exact instructions - I love how she wrote them for her very young, 20 year-old granddaugher, Candace, to understand.   

Ingredients:
5 cups Self-Rising Flour
5 Tbsp Crisco
Buttermilk
Greased & Floured Pans
Method:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  In a large deep bowl, pour 5 cups flour. Level it out and with a fork, make a medium wide hole in the center.  Put 5 Tbsp Crisco in the center. 

Slowly gather flour and Crisco with fork.  Pour buttermilk slowly into the flour-Crisco mixture, keeping milk in area of mixture and pulling in flour a little at a time when milk is added.  Continue to gather flour, but be sure to leave enough flour so you can form dough into large ball and keep it and your hands floured. After you have your dough ball ready, squeeze some of the dough off and press edges lightly in flour and turn them under slightly.  Cup your hands in a circular motion to form the biscuit and lay the first one in the middle of the pan.  Repeat, squeezing portions of dough off and preparing the same way, laying in pan each time. 

When all the dough is used, turn the top of your fingers under and dab in flour, then with the top of your floured fingers, press each biscuit down slightly.  It is ok if they touch.  Bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Makes 1 pan of biscuits. 

(These are not looking quite right are they?  This is my first sign that I have done something wrong.)

Oh yes, oh dear - they are really not looking right... but what is it?

Maybe you've already figured it out - me, it took a bite of the hockey puck, then another peek at the recipe for me to realize that I used all purpose flour, instead of self-rising flour.  It does matter.

And finally, a shot of my messy countertop - always have to throw that in for good measure.