This tender quick bread has a lightly crunchy crust and is perfect with a cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 3/4 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Instruction
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in raisins, if using. Slowly stir in buttermilk, mixing just until the dough forms a rough ball. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it just enough to shape it into an 8-inch oval, about 1 1/2 inches high. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper and place in a Dutch oven, cast-iron pan, or on a baking sheet. Cut an X into the dough with a sharp knife about half an inch deep. Cover the Dutch oven, if using.
- Bake until bread is golden brown on top, about 30 to 35 minutes, removing the lid of the Dutch oven 10 minutes before baking is completed, if using a Dutch oven. Remove bread from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
