Come late winter, nothing says the turn of the season quite like the vibrant joy of Saint Patrick’s Day. Once a religious holy day on the Emerald Isle, Saint Patrick’s Day became a celebration of Irish culture and heritage once it moved stateside. Like many things transported from other parts of the world, adaptation comes along for the ride. It’s definitely a case in point with the Saint Patrick’s Day staple of Irish soda bread. This version of American Irish Soda Bread has some definite differentiations—all of which are downright amazing.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
The Irish soda bread we all love and enjoy here would be seen as almost alien in Ireland. Traditionally, the bread is quite, and I mean quite, dense, using heavier flours, less fat, and no mix-ins. Here, American Irish Soda Bread has a tender, slightly cake-y crumb that’s mildly sweet and studded with an abundance of mix-ins.
The recipe is quite straightforward. After mixing the dry ingredients together, you cut in the butter the same way you’d make a standard biscuit.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Once the mixture resembles crumbs, add in the buttermilk, eggs, and raisins. If you don’t like raisins, you can easily substitute them with mini chocolate chips. You can also add caraway seeds as well.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Knead the dough until it forms a lumpy but unified mixture. Cut a cross on top of the bread and bake in the oven until golden on top and cooked through.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Once out of the oven, brush with additional melted butter.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
The taste and texture are similar to what you’d find at your local bakery, but even better! The pockets of butter are distributed just so, allowing the bread to have a tender biscuit quality to it.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Buttermilk and cornstarch soften the bread, making it less heavy and leaden than store-bought versions.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
The outside is slightly crispy, creating a contrast between the soft interior.
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
Photo: 12 Tomatoes Creative Team
American Irish Soda Bread is so easy to make, that you may find yourself making it beyond Saint Patrick’s Day!
American Irish Soda Bread
Yield(s): Serves about 4 to 6
20m prep time
1h 15m cook time
4.8
Rated by 14 reviewers
Allergens: Wheat, Gluten, Milk, Eggs
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Ingredients
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup raisins or currants
For garnish:
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment sheet, set aside.
In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Using clean hands or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a crumble.
Add buttermilk, egg, and raisins, stirring with a fork until it resembles a dough.
Turn out the dough onto a well floured work surface, kneading the dough until it becomes cohesive and bumpy, about 12 to 14 hand kneads.
Form the dough into a 6-inch diameter disk shape.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and cut a cross shape on top of the dough.
Bake until golden brown until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist, not wet, crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes. If the bread is browning too much, cover the top with aluminum foil.
Once pulled from the oven, brush the top with melted butter.
Serve warm from the oven with high quality butter, enjoy!
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking.
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