Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

Many people think that St. Patrick was holding a slice of Irish Soda Bread in one hand while driving the snakes out of Ireland with the other hand, but Soda Bread actually came long after St. Patrick. Soda Bread was introduced in the mid 1840’s when bicarbonate soda was used in Ireland as a leavening agent to work with the native soft wheat. Irish Soda Bread became popular extremely popular in Ireland after the Famine years. Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made with flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk or sour milk. This recipe is not a strict traditional recipe, but rather one that you can play around with. If you want to leave out the currants or caraway seeds you can. It is up to you. I love this Irish Soda Bread and think that you will too.

INGREDIENTS

4 Cups Unbleached Flour

3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 ¼ Teaspoons Salt

2 ½ Tablespoons Sugar

9 Tablespoons Butter

1 Cup Currants

3 Tablespoons Caraway Seeds

2 Eggs

1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk or Sour Milk

½ Cup Milk For Brushing Top Of Bread

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, caraway seeds and currants. Cut the butter into quarters and add to the dry mixture. Blend the eggs and buttermilk in a separate bowl and then add them to the flour mixture. Incorporate all of the dry and wet ingredients together and this will form your dough. Briefly knead the dough. Grease an 8 inch round pan and add the dough to the pan. Cut a bold cross into the top of the dough to avoid splitting. Brush the top of the bread with milk and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Make 1 loaf