Irish Soda Bread
This is my father's recipe and I make it every year for St. Patrick's Day. I love it with a cup of tea. My husband enjoys it with his corned beef and Guinness. But my kids hate raisins so when they're home, I make two breads. One with raisins and one without!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- Extra milk for brushing on top
Instructions
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Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9" pie pan.
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In a large bowl, sift flour with the next four ingredients. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse grain.
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Stir in raisins and caraway seeds.
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In a small bowl, mix together the milk and the cider vinegar to make a buttermilk. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
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Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk and stir vigorously with a fork until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
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Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead at least ten times, no more than fifteen. Form into a round ball and place on the greased pie pan. Cut a cross in the top of the dough, cutting side-to-side over the top. Brush milk over the top of the bread and bake for 15 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool for at least 1 hour before serving.