Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• extra flour for dusting
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, cold, diced
• 250 ml thick butter milk, cold (churned full-fat yogurt with some added water)
• Zest from 2 oranges
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup dried fruits such as golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried orange

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a small bowl, combine cold buttermilk, orange zest and give it quick whisk and put aside
3. In a bowl, toss the raisins with 1 tbsp flour to coat and put aside
4. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt
5. Add in diced butter and mix well for about 2-3 minutes
6. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and mix until just combined
7. Add walnuts / pecans and raisins and mix well for 10 seconds
8. Plop the very wet batter onto a floured surface. Give it a light kneading and shape it into a ball
9. Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet
10. Score an ‘X’ on the surface by cutting it at the middle in both the directions… make full cut through the depth of the dough
11. Do not overwork your dough and put it straight in the oven (lower rack) after making a cross cut. No need to rest the dough
12. Bake for about 40-45 minutes in the lower rack until a skewer comes out clean. Note that smaller ovens can cook faster and so start monitoring after 35 minutes of baking
13. Tap the base of your loaf for that hollow sound to ensure it has cooked through

Serves: 8-10

Inspiration source: