Irish Soda Bread
As someone who grew up in Boston in a very Irish neighborhood, St. Patrick’s Day has always been a celebrated holiday. The best part about it is that in Boston it’s also an actual holiday, Evacuation Day, and not having school when I was growing up was the best. Now that I’m older I have to work, but that doesn’t stop me from eating good food and drinking good beer on that day. This year I decided to try making my own Irish Soda Bread as opposed to buying it from my favorite bakery.
Ingredients & Directions:
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup craisins (You can use raisins, but I love craisins so I substitued them)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives (can also use your fingers), work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then stir in craisins.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg, buttermilk, and cinnamon to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.
Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.
Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased a baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch or so deep in an “X” shape. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes.
Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly.
I sliced the bread and toasted it with a little butter for my breakfast during the week.
(Steven)
