James Beard's Cream Biscuits

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Slowly add 1 cup of the cream, stirring with a rubber spatula, to form a smooth dough. Add up to 1/2 cup additional cream if mixture is too dry, being careful not to overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a square, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 12 squares and dip into the melted butter to coat on all sides. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Yield : 12 biscuits