Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 🍞
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 🍬
- 1 teaspoon salt 🧂
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder 🧁
- ½ teaspoon baking soda ⚗️
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature, cubed 🧈
- 1 cup raisins or currants 🍇
- 1¾ cups buttermilk (shaken) 🥛
- Extra flour for dusting 🌾
- Extra buttermilk for brushing (optional) 🥛
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet or Dutch oven with parchment paper or lightly grease a cast-iron skillet 🍳.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda until evenly combined 🥣.
- Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are no larger than peas — the mixture should be crumbly 🧈.
- Stir in the raisins or currants so they’re evenly distributed through the flour mixture 🍇.
- Pour in the buttermilk and fold gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together — it will be sticky. Do not overmix 🥛.
- Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface, sprinkle a little extra flour on top, and knead only 10–12 times while shaping into a round loaf. Overworking makes the bread tough 🌾.
- Transfer the shaped loaf to the prepared baking sheet, Dutch oven, or skillet. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep “X” about 3/4″ (2 cm) into the top of the loaf. Optionally brush the top with a little extra buttermilk for color 🥛.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil 🍞.
- Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing — about 30 minutes for best texture. Serve plain or with butter, jam or honey. Enjoy! 🧈🍯