Irish Soda Bread

Recipe Description

Recipe Ingredients

4 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 ½ cups seedless raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seed
2 eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 quarter round casserole. In large mixing bowl mix the first five ingredients with a fork. Using a pastry blender cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins and caraway seed. In a small bowl, beat the eggs slightly, remove 1 tablespoon and reserve. Stir in buttermilk into remaining egg and stir this mixture into the flour mixture just until flour is moistened. (it will be sticky). Turn dough onto well floured surface and knead about 10 strokes. Shape into ball and place in prepared casserole. In center of ball, with a sharp knife cut a 4 inch “X” about ¼ inch deep. Brush dough with reserved egg. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in casserole on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from casserole and cool completely.