Irish Soda Bread

It's March!!!

And that means Saint Paddy's Day!  

This year it also means Easter! 

My very favorite thing to make in the month of March is Irish Soda Bread.  A few years ago, I set out to make a really great version of this bread...and I came up with an awesome recipe!  

This recipe is honestly the BEST Irish Soda Bread I've ever had! 

Irish Soda Bread tends to be dry...this recipe is NOT! 

I tend to want to eat Irish Soda Bread with a ton of butter...you do not need any butter for this bread!  I promise!

 

Your Shopping List for the Irish Soda Bread:

• 4 cups of all purpose flour 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 stick butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Now Let's Make the Irish Soda Bread:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl place 4 cups of flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt.  Whisk these ingredients together
3. Add the cubed butter (very cold  - it should be right out of the fridge) and use your *clean* hands to incorporate the butter into the dry mixture until crumbly
   
4. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the raisins
5. Pour the buttermilk in and mix with spoon until dough forms
6. Turn out dough onto floured surface and shape into a ball
   
7. Divide ball into two even halves and shape each half into a round loaf - place onto prepared baking sheet
8. Use a knife to score a cross into the top of each loaf
   
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until tops of loaves are golden brown
10. Place 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tbsp water into a bowl
11. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds
12. Use a pastry brush to brush tops of loaves with the sugar water while bread is still warm from the oven (I did two coats of the sugar water on each loaf - I still had a little bit left)
    
    
    
    Store in an airtight container and eat in 1-2 days!