Irish Soda Bread

I loved Irish Soda Bread growing up. It was a treat we would often get on sunny Sunday mornings. It’s a bread that doesn’t require any proofing times, because the rise comes from chemicals (baking powder and baking soda) rather than bacteria (yeast), so it’s also remarkably quick to come together.

Ingredients: 

• 2 C. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. butter, cubed, room temperature
• 1⁄2 C. raisins or dried currants (you could also use blueberries,
or even cherries)
• 3⁄4 C. buttermilk
• 1-2 tsp. of your favorite extract (vanilla, almond, chocolate,
etc.), optional

Equipment: 

• Medium to large mixing bowl
• Baking pan
• Parchment paper to keep the bread from sticking to the pan
• Whisk
• Cooling rack

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Butter your baking pan or add a sheet of parchment paper and set aside. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk until homogenous. Mix in your cubed butter and crush it with your fingers until you get a coarse crumb of butter and flour (you don’t need to be too particular about this).
2. Mix in your raisins, breaking up any large chunks, and toss the raisins in the flour so they are evenly coated. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon/spatula/or bowl scrapper until all of the buttermilk has been absorbed (it’ll still be pretty chunky and shaggy)
3. Remove your dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface, then knead until it comes together into a smooth-ish ball (2-3 min). It should feel slightly tacky, but if it’s sticking to your surface sprinkle more flour and keep kneading. Pat your dough down until it makes a roughly 6in circle and then place on your prepared pan. Cut a large X into the top about 1/4in deep.
4. Bake until puffed up and the top is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before digging in. Enjoy!