2 cups flour (I like to use 1¾ white unbleached + ¼ wheat)
3 tbls sugar
1 tbls baking powder
1 teas salt
¼ cup shortening
½-1 cup raisins (I like to chop them a bit…also, prunes are really good…dried cranberries or apricots too)
grated zest of one orange
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
preheat oven to 425 degrees
Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl.
With a pastry knife, cut in shortening until gravel-like.
Stir in fruit and zest.
Mix egg and milk…reserve 2 tbls for top glaze.
Mix liquid into dry ingredients…a minimum amount of stirring is best, dough will be lumpy.
On a floured surface, shape into a ball, flatten into a round loaf, cut into 8 wedges.
Brush each wedge with reserved egg/milk, sprinkle with sugar (I like brown sugar).
Bake 15-20 minutes…Light brown tops but take care not to burn the bottoms.
Serve with butter.