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.
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
