Ingredients:

  • 450g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 420ml cold full-fat buttermilk
  • 42g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Drop in the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized lumps remaining.
  2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and the beaten egg. Use a wooden spoon or your hand in a 'claw' shape to gently bring the flour into the liquid. Mix only until a shaggy, wet dough forms. Do not over-mix.
  3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a round disc about 1.5 inches thick without kneading. Transfer to a skillet or parchment-lined tray. Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross about 1 inch deep across the top, extending to the edges.
  4. Slide the loaf into the center of the oven. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat if necessary and continue baking for another 20 minutes (total 35 minutes) until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.