St. Patricks Day approaches and you need something to serve for dinner along side your corned beef and cabbage! How about a lovely, easy, and delicious Irish soda bread?
Wash it down with a little Guinness, and have some green velvet cake for dessert. This is easily one of my favorite “holidays” of the year, and I couldn’t tell you why. I’m not even Irish! The closest tie I have anywhere near Ireland is a long-distant relative who is traceable back to the Highlands in the 1600’s….but I digress….
If you’re not much of a bread person, believe me, you can make this. It’s actually more like a giant biscuit, with currants in it. Serve hot with a little butter and you’re set! No need to wear green on Thursday if you consume this delightful goodness. You’ll be Irish on the inside in an instant!
I have made a more traditional Irish Soda bread before but it takes a lot of time to let rise, etc. Perhaps I’ll post that one next year. I need time to perfect my bread-making skills!
And perhaps you do, too…
Now go and make some bread!
You will need:
A baking pan
A medium mixing bowl
A fork
A wooden spoon
Cooking spray
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons butter (sliced, and at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (imperative!)
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 375º F
- Mix the dry ingredients (everything but the butter, currants and milk) in a medium bowl until combined.
-
Cut in slices of the butter and mash it in with your fork.
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Add the currents and mix using the wooden spoon.
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Add the buttermilk a little bit at a time until the batter is moistened.
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Spray your baking sheet with cooking spray or brush with oil.
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Roll dough into a ball and score the top with a knife to make a cross. You can make it anywhere between 1/2 to an inch deep.
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Set the dough in the middle of your baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes. You should see the top browning evenly.
There are raisins…and then there are currants…
Mixing the ingredients:
Rolling the dough into a ball:
Scoring the top of the bread before baking:
Enjoy with dinner or just as a snack! I promise you this is the easiest bread you’ll ever make.
Yum yum!
Happy early St. Patrick’s Day!
-K
Beautiful Food 