4 cupfuls of light bread dough.
1 cupful of butter.
Take the dough from the bread (?). If set with yeast over night it will be ready for this purpose at any time in the morning. Spread it out on the table with the knuckles and then roll thin with the rolling-pin. Spread the butter all over the sheet, fold it up and roll out again; fold in three as before and let it stand a few minutes in a warm place to lose its elasticity. After that the dough can be rolled and folded twice more. Give it another short interval then roll out, cut out biscuits, place them in pans not touching, brush over the tops with a little lard and hot water in a cup. Let rise an hour and bake. These are light rolls that will pull apart in flakes.
Whitehead’s Family Cook Book, 1891