Friday Feast | An Old Favorite #Recipe with a Twist

Ireland ~ June 2000

Welcome to Friday Feast in the tavern!

Whew! It's been a long month, and I'm happy to be closing the door on March. I'm wrapping up with bread that's been a favorite here and in my home. I've been making this particular recipe for Irish Soda Bread for decades. Since the early 1990's. Except a few weeks ago, I switched out ordinary raisins and low-fat buttermilk to golden raisins, which are fatter and juicier, and used whole-fat buttermilk. Now you might be thinking there's not much of a difference, right? Wrong! Oh, sweet goodness! This loaf was absolutely the best I've ever made. Even the knight agreed with me.

It's the little things in life I learn along the way that make me smile.

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Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup buttermilk (I recommend whole fat)

2/3 cups golden raisins

1 tablespoon butter, melted

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 or 9-inch round cake pan.

Combine in large bowl, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the caraway seeds. Cut in the butter and mix with hands until mixture resembles oatmeal.

Make a well in center of flour. Pour in buttermilk and add raisins. Mix lightly. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently a few times. Shape into a 5-inch round load and place in prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, cut dough crosswise into quarters about one-third of the way through. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar that has been mixed with the cinnamon.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

Sláinte