Irish Soda Bread
by Penny Rich
Adapted from a recipe by Delia Fitzpatrick
The Corned Beef is easy. Just throw it in the crock pot with some potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, spices, stout and let it cook for 8-9 hours on low. Add a head of cabbage and cook for 2 more hours. But dinner would not be complete without my mother in law's Irish Soda Bread.
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cups sugar
8 tablespoons chilled butter cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups raisins
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a large mixing bowl combine flour through sugar. Mix well. Add cubed butter and blend with a pastry knife until mixture resembles a course meal, add raisins and stir to combine. In a small bowl mix the egg and 2 cups of buttermilk. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir until mixed. Do not over mix.
Form the dough into a round shape. Butter a 4-6 quart cast iron pot. Place dough in the pot and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour. With a sharp knife make a cross in the dough. Bake for 1 hour.
