In a large mixing bowl, sift together 2 cups of flour with a tablespoon of baking powder.
Add in the 2 tablespoons of cubed cold butter and rub, or cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or a food processor until the mixture resembles large crumbs. Mix in 1 cup grated parmesan and a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds.
Add 1 ¼ cups buttermilk and stir until moistened and the mixture forms a dough. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured clean surface and gently knead it with your hands just until dough holds together.
Pat the dough and fold over a few times. Pat or roll out the dough to about ½-inch thick and cut, using a biscuit/cookie cutter or a drinking glass. Continue to gather any scrap pieces of dough, patting it back down to ½-inch thickness, and cutting it until you have 12 biscuits.
Arrange on the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
You can add a dash of cayenne pepper to the biscuits (as per Laurie's original recipe) if you like a little kick (I wasn't fond of it though).
Replace parmesan with shredded cheddar cheese for a milder flavor.
To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Make sure your baking powder is fresh as it is essential to get a good rise in the biscuits.
You can make the biscuits big and flat or small and puffy. It's up to you and the size of the cutter you have.
Substitute buttermilk with a mix of milk and yogurt. For one cup buttermilk, stir ¼ cup milk into ¾ cup plain yogurt.
Work gently with your dough, don't overwork it.
Fold the dough at least three times and up to six times to ensure they are super flaky.
Don't make the same mistake I did and twist your cutter when cutting the biscuits. It seals off the edges, and they won't rise as high. You can flour the cutter, so the dough doesn't stick to it.