Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together into mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt; mix well.
By hand with pastry blender or 2 table knives, or with mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed; cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in raisins and citrus zest.
In a small bowl, whisk vanilla and buttermilk together; add to dry ingredients, stirring until soft dough forms. Turn onto floured work surface and roll out to 1-inch thick. Cut with 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 400°F until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve piping hot right from the oven or cool and store to reheat and serve later.
Note: King Arthur all-purpose flour, Plugrá European-Style® unsalted butter, and Nielsen Massey vanilla extract are recommended.
Ingredients
- 51/2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 4 Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 13/4 Cups California natural raisins
- 2/3 Cup California golden raisins
- Zest of 1 lemon, grated
- Zest of 1 orange, grated
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 11/2 Cups buttermilk
Procedure
Topping
- Egg wash; as needed
- Turbinado sugar; as needed for sprinkling