3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Heat oven to 425°F and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Sift together flour and baking powder. With a fork stir in sugar, pepper and salt. Add cream and stir to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface with floured hands knead dough gently 8 times. Melt butter and cool. Pat out dough into a 9 inch square (about 1/2 inch thick). With a rectangular cutter (about 2 3/4x1 3/4 inches) dipped in flour or with a sharp knife, cut out as many rectangles as possible. Dip tops of biscuits in butter and arrange, buttered sides up, 1/2 inch apart on prepared sheet. Gather scraps into a ball. Pat out dough and make more biscuits in same manner. Sprinkle biscuits with coarse salt and remaining pepper. Bake biscuits 15 minutes till golden and cooked through. Biscuits may be made 6 hours ahead and cooled completely before being kept, wrapped well, at room temperature. Just before serving, reheat biscuits in a 350°F. oven till just warm, about 5 minutes.