***Monku in Nevada’s Irish Soda Bread

By CheeseDiva

Ingredients

• Brush on top:
• 4 c. sifted flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. double acting baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp.caraway seeds
• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 c. seedless raisins
• 1 1/3 c buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten

Preparation

Step 1

Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in caraway seeds. Use a fork or pastry blender and cut in the butter until mixture looks like course cornmeal. Stir in raisins.
2
Combine buttermilk with 1 egg, add to mixture and stir just until moistened.
3
Put on lightly floured board and knead lightly just until smooth -- not too long.
4
Shape into round ball and put in buttered 2 qt.dish. Cut 1/2" thick cross into top of bread. Brush top with egg yolk.
5
Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour 10 min. Test for doneness - insert cake tester - should come out clean.