Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Last year, I decided to take on making traditional Irish soda bread. You can read it about it here on my baking blog. But this year I caved and chose a recipe closer to what most think of when they hear Irish soda bread. Good news is it turned out pretty tasty and I have a recipe to share with you!



Irish Soda BreadFrom marthastewart.com

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
2 cups golden or dark raisins
1 1/2 scant cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and caraway seeds until well combined.
3. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut in butter until the mixture feels like coarse meal. 
4. Stir in raisins until evenly distributed.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and baking soda until well combined. 
6. Pour buttermilk mixture into the flour-and-butter mixture all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture begins to hold together. It should resemble a rough biscuit dough. 
7. Shape the dough into a round, dome-shaped loaf about 8 inches in diameter. 
8. Lift the loaf from the bowl, and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
9. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and cream together. 
10. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the loaf. 
11. With a sharp knife or razor, incise a cross, about 1/2 inch deep, into the top of the loaf.  
12. Bake, rotating halfway through, until it is deep golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 70 minutes. 
13. Remove from oven, and transfer bread from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!