Pot of Gold Irish Soda Bread
/There are only 3 hours left of St. Patrick's Day, but I had to post this recipe before the holiday ended!
Irish soda bread is a "quick bread" made from only a few ingredients and studded with dried fruit. Currants are the traditional fruit used in this bread, but anything will work. I went with golden raisins to play up the St. Patrick's Day theme. I call it my Pot of GOLDen Raisin Soda Bread!
If we aren't friends on insta or you missed my bites post, I am now the proud owner of a KitchenAid mixer. After my wonderful grandmother passed back in December, she left a little bit of money for each of her grandkids. My dad was insistant on us not saving it, but spending it on something that would make G-ma proud. My grandmother was an amazing cook and baker, so I knew this is what I would put my money toward. Thanks G-ma!
I never pictured Irish soda bread being the first thing I would make in my mixer, but St. Patrick's Day came at just the right time. I'm all about celebrating holidays with the appropriate food.
Irish Soda Bread
yields 1 large loaf
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups buttermilk* (or almond milk with juice from half of a lemon squeezed in and left to rest for 5 minutes)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients and the raisins in an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment. Slowly add milk then let the mixer knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides halfway through.
Grease a cookie sheet. Turn the dough out onto the cookie sheet and form into a round loaf. Use a knife to score the top with an "X." Bake for 50 minutes. Serve with butter or jam! Warmed in the microwave or toasted is also best!
*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, there is an easy substitute. Buttermilk can be made from any kind of milk you simply add half the juice of a lemon to the milk then let it sit. After 5 minutes the lemon has added acidity to the milk and curdled it to make a buttermilk sub. Joy the Baker gives more substitutions here.
Hurry quick! If you want to celebrate the right way you only have a few more hours to make this bread. I mean I guess you could make soda bread on any average day, it's just more fun on St. Patty's Day!
Annie