Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

(1 loaf)

Ingredients:

4 cups All Purpose Flour

4 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tbsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Salt

½ cup Butter, melted

1 cup Buttermilk

1 Whole Egg

¼ cup Butter, melted

¼ cup Buttermilk

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the melted butter, cup of buttermilk and egg until well mixed.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead (see note) slightly.  Form dough into a round loaf and place on greased baking sheet and let rest.  While dough is resting, in a small bowl combine the melted butter with the buttermilk.  Brush the loaf with the mixture and then cut a long X in the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.  Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Brush the loaf again with the butter and buttermilk mixture and let cool on a rack.

Note:               Kneading is the process of helping to create gluten or elasticity in

                           the dough.  To knead the dough take one end of the dough and

                           pull it over to the other side of the dough and push down on it.

                           Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat the lifting and pushing

                           down.  Continue this for one turn of the loaf.

Note:               Many traditional “Irish Soda Bread” recipes include raisins.  I

                           don’t like raisins and so I don’t include them.  You can add

                           a cup of raisins to this recipe if you wish.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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