Here's a whole-grain update of that longtime British favorite, the scone. Serve it with hot tea at any time of the day or evening.

4 cups whole-wheat flour, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus more if needed

Jam (optional), for serving

Hot tea (optional), for serving

Preparation 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to pinch the butter and the flour mixture together; when it's all combined, it will resemble large bread crumbs. 2. Use a wooden spoon to mix in the brown sugar and raisins, and then add the buttermilk. If the dough is quite sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough has the texture of modeling clay. If it's too dry, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's wet enough. 3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll it out into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 (3-inch) squares. Leftover scraps can be rerolled to make more scones. 4. Oil a baking sheet. Fold each square of dough in half diagonally to form a triangle, and lay it on the sheet. Bake the scones until the tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm, with jam and a pot of hot tea if you like. From Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast: Authentic Pub Food, Restaurant Fare, and Home Cooking from Small Towns, Big Cities, and Country Villages Across the British Isles by Brian Yarvin. Copyright © 2012 by Brian Yarvin. Published by The Harvard Common Press. Used by permission of The Harvard Common Press.