Mama Jean's Irish Soda Bread

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Hope you’re celebrating the luck of the Irish with a green bagel or green beer or maybe some Irish Soda Bread. Last night, like most nights, I turn to Chris around 9pm & say “should I make [insert name of the blog post you’re reading now]?” To which Chris responds, “now?” Which he already knows the answer to that question is yes. So last night, my mom’s Irish Soda Bread was up-to-bat. Turns out I should’ve read through the entire recipe first because it has to bake for an hour & 20 minutes (80 minutes!!!!) & then it has to cool. So the photo you see above is what we ate for breakfast about 20 minutes ago.

How are you going to celebrate St. Patty’s Paddy's Day? Let me know in the comments below & if you have a great Irish Soda Bread recipe I’d love to see it.


Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or you can use 3/4 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt + 3/4 cup milk)

Make it!

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease a 2-quart round oven-safe casserole dish well with butter.
3. In a large bowl, with a fork, mix flour & next 4 ingredients.
4. With a pastry blender or 2 knives or your fingers, cut in butter until margarine resembles course crumbs.
5. Stir in raisins.
6. In small bowl with fork beat eggs slightly.
7. Remove 1 tablespoon off egg + a splash (about a tablespoon) of water in a small bowl & reserve it on the side.
8. Stir buttermilk into the remaining eggs.
9. Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until flour is moistened. The dough will be super sticky.
10. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface; with floured hands, knead about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly.
11. Shape dough into a ball; place int casserole.
12. In center of ball, with a sharp knife, cut a 4-inch cross around 1/4 inch deep.
13. Brush dough with reserved egg wash.
14. Bake about 1 hour & 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
15. Cool in casserole on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from casserole & cool completely on rack.
16. Serve with butter.