Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Best New York Cheesecake Recipe. Using your fingers, rub in the sliced butter, leaving large flakes of coated butter. Freeze the mixture until very cold, about 1. Stir in the buttermilk until a raggy dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press or roll into a 9- by- 7- inch rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick. Fold the rectangle in thirds like a letter, then fold the rectangle in half to make a little package.
Press or roll out the dough to a 9- by- 7- inch rectangle again. Repeat the folding process once more, then roll the dough out one more time to a 9- by- 7- inch rectangle. Using a 3 1/2- inch round cutter, stamp out 4 biscuits. Pat the scraps together and stamp out 2 more biscuits.
Arrange the biscuits on a large baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Bake for about 1.