Baking: Breads: Irish Soda Bread

Yummy bread! Cheers da'ling!

Author: California Raisin Marketing Board - www.calraisins.org
Date: December 26, 2012

Serves: 12 person(s)
Yield: 12 x slices (1 round bread loaf)

Preparation Time: 25 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

2 cup flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup California raisins
1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
1 cup low-fat buttermilk (2% fat)
1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 tbsp water

Directions:

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Add buttermilk; blend to moisten the dry ingredients.

Turn dough onto floured board; knead for several minutes until smooth. Form dough into a round ball and place on greased baking sheet.

Flatten ball until dough is about 1-1/2 inches thick; brush top and sides with egg-water mixture. Cut a 1/2-inch deep cross in top of bread with sharp knife.

Bake at 375°F for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool; brush top with butter or margarine and cover with cloth, until cool.