Here is the recipe I use, michaelr, but anyone who makes biscuits will have their own. Changes or additions for the desert biscuit recipe will be in parentheses

1 3/4 cups sifted, all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (additional 1/2 teaspoon salt)
3 teaspoons double acting baking powder
(1 tablespoon sugar)
4-6 tablespoons chilled shortening, lard or butter or any combination (4-5 tablespoons butter only - for this desert, want the biscuits more fluffy than flaky, i.e. short)
3/4 cup milk (light cream or half-and-half)

Sift together the dry ingredients. Cut the fat into the the dry ingredients until the texture of coarse oatmeal. Make a well in the center and add the milk (cream) all at once. Stir cautiously until no danger of spillage, then stir vigorously until dough is moistened and mostly pulls from side of bowl. A scant 30 seconds.

Gather the dough gently in your hand and turn out on a pastry cloth or floured board. I strongly recommend a pastry cloth - store in a baggy in the freezer when not in use. Flour hands lightly and knead the dough for another scant 30 seconds. dough should not be knobby or sticky. For this desert recipe, gently pat or roll out dough to 1 inch and cut with lightly floured biscuit cutter. Don't ever twist the cutter, regardless of thickness or intended use of biscuits. Handle remaining dough as gently as possible and use as little flour as you can to reshape and pat to finish cutting the rounds. Place on baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake in 450F oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.