Tasty Tuesday #2 Spotted Dog

Hello again! Today is my second Tasty Tuesday post which has instead featured a bread recipe. Fancy! It is a bit more of a sweet and savoury bread especially when you don't add sugar and just add the raisins/sultanas. Actually without the sultanas the bread mixture makes a lovely pizza base, more so a crunchy one (love crunchy pizza bases). So I guess I'll move onto the ingredients and recipe. 

Ingredients:

450g plain flour 

1 level tsp caster sugar (optional, not really needed)

1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

350-425ml buttermilk (best to start of with a small amount)

100g Sultanas/Raisins

Recipe: 

1. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius/ 425 degrees Fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 8

2. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the sultanas/raisins to the dry mixture. Make a well in the centre by pushing the dry mixture to the sides. Start by pouring in the buttermilk but leave at least 60 ml in the jug (approx.) Then bring the flour and liquid together by using your hands in the shape of a claw (weird, I know). If you feel like you need to add more buttermilk, do so and continue the claw mixing. The dough should only be soft and not wet or sticky. This can be caused by to much buttermilk so only add small bits. Also you don't kneed the bread as it will make it too heavy. 

3. Once the dough has formed, put it onto a floured surface. Bring the dough together a bit more and try and shape it into a round shape making sure it's 4cm in height. 

4. Lift the dough onto a greased and floured baking tray and cut a deep cross on top of the dough. Bake the dough for 15 mins and then turn the temp. down to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenhuit/ Gas Mark 6 and cook for 30 mins. 

5. The loaf will be cooked when its golden in colour and when tapped makes a slightly hollowed noise. Allow for the loaf to cool on a wire tray. Keep in an airtight container to keep the freshness.

Photos:

The dough before it was cooked. I suggest greasing the baking tray with butter than some flour. It helps it to remove easily without the base still attached to the tray.

The final creation. It is basically like a great big scone!