Saturday, March 17, 2007

Recipe: Grandma's Irish Soda Bread

Slainte! (Good health or cheers in Gaelic.) Serve this with your favorite preserves and a strong cup of tea.

Grandma's Irish Soda Bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 stick of butter (cut into the flour mixture)
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg - lightly beaten
1 egg yolk (to brush on top)

Butter a 2 qt. casserole or cake tin.

Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Cut butter into mixture - until it resembles course meal. Combine buttermilk and egg in separate bowl. Stir into flour mixture until damp.

Gather into a ball, in the bowl. Place onto a floured surface. Knead it for 3 minutes.(Fold in half; punch in half; fold down; punch.) Shape into a round loaf.

Cut the 'x' on the top. Brush with the egg yolk.

Bake for an hour. It is done if it sounds hollow when you tap it. If it is still moist in the 'x' - it is not done.

Cool on a rack.

2 comments:

Wear Your Wild said...

We had Irish Soda Bread yesterday for St. Patrick's Day.
I followed a link to your blog from flickr.
It's always nice to meet other gardeners.
Katie

Ellen Leigh said...

MMM, might have to make some of that- sounds terrific!
Got your note on my blog- Delphiniums don't like my soil, but plenty of other things do, so that's OK. Michigan is beautiful in any season, but especially in Summer. What part of Michigan do you visit when you come?