Parishioner Recipes

Irish Soda Bread

submitted by
The Mahoney Family


INGREDIENTS:

4 cups unbleached flour, unsifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C. raisins
2 Tbsp. caraway seeds (optional)
1-1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a round 8 in. baking tin. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. With 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the raisins, optional caraway and enough buttermilk ti make a soft moist dough. Gather into a ball and kneed gently for 2 or 3 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Form into a ball, place in the prepared pan and flatten loaf slightly. With a sharp floured knife, cut a large cross about 1-1/2 inches deep into the dough. Bake in the lower third of a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes or until loaf is very lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped with knuckles on the bottom.

YIELD:
1 loaf