Irish Soda Bread Recipe - Food Fun Friday

One of my favorite things to make for St. Patrick's Day is Irish Soda Bread. If you've never had it before, it's not a bread in the way you might typically think of bread. The texture and consistency is similar to that of a scone. I did a little research on Irish Soda Bread and discovered that it started out with very basic ingredients which poorer households in Ireland had access to. Before cooking, a cross was carved into the top of the dough. I thought these was for aesthetic purposes, but it actually was believed to ward off the devil and protect the household where it was made. I can't guarantee this Family Friendly Recipe will do all that, but is sure tastes yummy. This Irish Soda Bread recipe also has many steps that kids can help with. My children just love getting their hands in the dough!

This recipe calls for buttermilk. If you must have some Irish Soda Bread and don't have buttermilk on hand, you can quickly make your own. I found a great tutorial here.

Measuring and pouring flour is a special job in our household and calls for a special helper.

We like to build up our arm muscles by stirring.

But the favorite way for my kids to help is by kneading the dough. 

There's that cross that wards off evil. 

The Irish Soda Bread is best fresh out of the oven with a touch of butter. My kids also enjoyed it with marmalade. Ours kept for a few days in a bowl on the counter. By the fourth day, it had started to go a bit stale, so you'll want to be sure to finish it before then.

Irish Soda Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes                 Bake time: 1 hour

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 4 cups of flour
• 1/3 cup of sugar + 1/2 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup of butter milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of melted butter (for brushing on top)
• 1/2 cup of raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and softened butter. Mix in the buttermilk and egg until dough starts to form, then fold in raisins. If dough is still crumbly, add a splash of buttermilk until it comes together. 
3. Knead dough on a floured surface. Form into a round loaf. 
4. Brush the top of the loaf with 1/4 cup of melted butter then sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of sugar on top. 
5. Cut an X into the top of the loaf using a sharp knife.
6. Bake for 1 hour. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center and checking to see that it comes out clean. If the loaf is too thick, the center might take longer to bake. Simply place some foil over the top of the loaf and continue baking until done. 

For more bread recipes, check out:

    Honey Bread Recipe                                Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheesy Bread

                    

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