Irish Soda Bread
The Gourmet Cookbook
Ruth Reichl, Editor

Yield: Two 6-inch round loaves

4 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1½ Tbsp. caraway seeds
1 cup golden raisens
1¾ cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375o. Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, caraway seeds, and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead with floured hands about 8 times, until slightly less sticky but still soft. Halve dough and form each half into a ball. Pat out each ball into a domed 6-inch round on baking sheet, spacing them 4 inches apart. Cut a large ½-inch-deep X in top of each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush loaves with butter. Bake until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 2 hours before slicing.

Note: The bread keeps, wrapped in foil, for up to 3 days at room temperature.

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