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1
Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas Mark 6.
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2
DO NOT START UNTIL OVEN IS READY.
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3
Then ignore the doorbell, telephone and cell phone until your bread is in the oven.
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4
For best results, measure everything before you begin.
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5
Sieve the flour, bread soda, salt and about 2 teaspoons of sugar into a large bowl and mix in the fruit.
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6
Whisk about 1 1/3 cup of the milk together with the egg.
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7
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in almost all of the milk and egg mixture.
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8
Quickly and with a light touch, use your fingers to quickly and lightly bring the flour in from the edges and mix with the milk, until all the ingredients come together into a dough.
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9
Use your hands, not a spoon or mixer.
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10
Work quickly and lightly.
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11
The dough should be soft rather than wet or sticky.
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12
If it is too dry add a little more of the milk and egg mix or the of the remaining buttermilk.
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13
Once it has come together, do not knead, just place it on a floured wooden board, pick up a handful of flour and rub it into the palms of your hands so that they are perfectly dry, and and then shape the dough into a round about 2 inches thick.
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14
Brush the top of the dough with some of the remaining milk and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over it.
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15
Cut a deep cross on the top of the dough.
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16
Put the bread into the oven immediately.
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17
After 5 minutes turn the oven down to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C/regulo 6).
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18
The initial high temperature gives the bread a nice brown crust.
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19
After another 25 minutes take the bread out and knock on the base.
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20
If it sounds hollow it is done, if not return it to the oven for about 5 minutes and then check again.
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21
Eat the day of baking or toast it the next day.
