Ming says: If there's one kind of dough you should definitely put in your repertoire, it's biscuit dough. Why? Because you can use it for just about everything, not just biscuits.

Makes 24 2 1/2- to 3-inch biscuits

• 1 stick plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, chilled
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine dry ingredients. Mix butter into dry ingredients with the paddle attachment until butter is slightly broken down, but not fully incorporated. In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk and milk together. With mixer running, add buttermilk mixture to flour slowly until well incorporated but not over-mixed. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disk. On a flat, floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into desired shape for biscuits. Or freeze them in 1/2-inch sheets to thaw and use later or cut into shapes and freeze. If baking them, place biscuits on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool.

>>Use this Master Recipe in Asian Pear Upside-Down Biscuit by guest Chef Ted Allen.

>>This recipe appears in Episode #423.

>> For additional recipes and more, visit www.ming.com