St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow so I decided to make some Irish soda bread. I used Ina Garten's recipe and although I'm not sure just how traditional it is, it does the trick.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup dried currants
Preheat the oven to 375 and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
Lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest with a fork. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients.
Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough.
Knead the dough on a floured surface.
Form a loaf (or multiple loaves) out of the dough and cut an X on the top.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack.
