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Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

  • 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for kneading
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
  • 1 cup currants or raisins
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1-¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • granulated sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and sugar. Add butter and cut in until crumbly. Stir in the raisins.
  2. Combine egg and buttermilk and add to dry ingredients. Stir until blended.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a wooden board sprinkled with flour. Knead the dough for a minute, no longer. If the dough is a little sticky, dust with some extra flour. Take care not to overwork the dough, or the bread will be tough.
  4. Divide dough in half and shape each into a round loaf. Place each loaf into an 8-inch round cake pan or on a large baking sheet. Cut a cross on top of each loaf, about ½-inch deep. Then brush each with milk and sprinkle sugar on the top.
  5. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack. Slice to serve.