Recipe : Beaten Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup lard, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/3 cup light cream
2 tablespoons cold water (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar together. Use a fork to "cut" the lard into the flour until it looks like coarse meal. Using a standing mixer, or a wooden spoon, mix the dough as you slowly add the cream. Mix well to form the dough into a ball, adding water if needed.
Place the dough onto a tabletop, and knead slightly. With a mallet or a one-piece rolling pin, beat the dough a few times to form it into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough over, and then beat it out again. Repeat this process until the dough becomes white and blisters form on the surface, about 15 minutes.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch rounds, and prick the top a few times with the tines of a fork. Place on greased baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.