Irish Soda Bread

by Laura Donnelly — March 15, 2007

No St. Patrick's Day menu would be complete without a loaf of soda bread. For a variation on this recipe, you can also try the soda-bread recipe posted in our feature on molasses.

Makes one loaf

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons sugar (or less if desired)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cold butter, diced small
1 and 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup dried currants

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in bowl of mixer with paddle attachment. Add butter and mix until incorporated.

3. Combine buttermilk and egg, then slowly pour this into the flour mixture and mix on low speed. Toss currants with an additional Tablespoon of flour, then add this to dough. (It will be a wet dough.)

4. Knead dough briefly on a floured board, then form it into a loaf. Cut an X onto surface and bake 45 to 55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool on baking rack.

For extra flavor, you can add 2 teaspoons of orange zest to the dough when you add the buttermilk mixture.