Irish Soda Bread

By Maudie30

I have tried several recipes for Irish Soda Bread and this is the one I like the best, compliments of the Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients

• 4 C flour
• 4 Tbls sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 stick COLD unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 1 3/4 C COLD buttermilk
• 1 extra large room temperature egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 1 C dried currents

Preparation

Step 1

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

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl, use paddle attachment.

Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter and flour is mixed and looks coarse.

With a fork or whisk, beat the buttermilk, egg and orange zest in a measuring cup.

With the mixer on low speed slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, mix just until blended.

Coat the currents with 1 tablespoon flour, add to the dough and blend in. The dough will be very wet.

Turn out the dough on a well floured board and knead it a few times, shape into a round loaf.

Place on sheet pan. With a serrated knife cut a cross in the top (to bless the bread), then with a fork, poke each quarter once (to let the faeries out).

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

When the bread is done it will have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.