Irish Soda Bread with Raisins

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

I'm not Irish (or 19-years-old, looking for any excuse to stay out drinking until 4:00 a.m.), so this right here is the extent of my St. Patrick's Day reveling.

Since I had never made Irish soda bread before, St. Patrick's Day seemed like as good an excuse as any. We ate it freshly baked (after it cooled off a little) and it had the taste and texture of a giant scone (which is a good thing).

The whole family liked it, even my daughter (although that's not surprising, she's never met a bread she didn't like).

By the way, this is called soda bread because it's leavened with baking soda. So if you were hoping this was some kind of coca cola bread, you're out of luck!

IRISH SODA BREAD WITH RAISINS

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling on dough

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup raisins

1.    Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease (or spray) an 8" or 9" cake pan or sheet pan.

2.    Whisk flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Make well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins.

3.    Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

4.    Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Anitra Earle, Yonkers, NY

adding buttermilk to flour (with butter already added)

dough mixed

adding the raisins
(I did need to get in there and mix with my hands)

dough ready to bake (sugar already sprinkled on top)

You youngins have a good time tonight!

A