2 cups white flour 1/2 cup shortening 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 teaspoons sugar 3/4 cup Water (NOT milk! This is a secret trick from a friend in Kentucky)
Mix the dry ingredients, add the shortening (or you can use butter), and cut the shortening into the dry ingredients. I used to use one of those multi-wire things, but that same friend from Kentucky said you get a better consistency if you use your hands.
Pour in the water, mix gently with a fork, until it all holds together and all of the flour is in the ball of dough.
Flour a counter top, place the dough on the floured surface and gently knead it a few times. 10-12 strokes tops will give them some layers and let them be light and fluffy. Roll it out to about 3/4 inch thick with a rolling pin, then cut out your biscuits (I use a round cutter, but growing up, we used to just cut the entire thing into a grid and ate square biscuits.) I separate my biscuits so they have about an inch between each. If you put them close together then they'd end up soft on the sides. Mine aren't.
[Drop biscuits are the same recipe but add a little more liquid, and they are dropped from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet]
Bake 10-12 minutes.
When I make scones I use milk or cream and they have more sugar, and are generally like rich baking powder biscuits.