What you need:

• Cornmeal, for dusting
• 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
• 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup raisins or currants

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a medium baking sheet and dust it with cornmeal.
2. Mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients (or rub it in with your fingers), until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients.
5. In a separate small bowl, blend the buttermilk and egg Reserve 1½ tablespoons of this liquid, then add the remainder to the
   dry mixture along with the raisins.
6. Stir well, until evenly mixed. The dough will be wet and sticky. Let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Shake a tablespoon or two of flour over the dough and work it into the dough with the back of a wooden spoon.
8. Dust the work surface generously with flour, then scrape the dough out onto it.
9. Using floured hands, shape (or coax) the dough into a ball.
10. If the dough is too wet to handle (it is sticky!), just cup it with your floured hands to shape it into 2 rounds. Transfer the rounds to the sheet.
11. Using a sharp serrated knife, make two shallow slashes in a crisscross on top of the bread.
12. Brush the top with the reserved buttermilk mixture and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
13. Bake on the center oven rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
14. Cool the bread on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.