Irish Soda Bread with Caraway and raisins

By patticakes

Ingredients

• 8 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup caraway seeds
• 3 to 4 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cup raisins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400.
Sift all dry ingredients together twice. Add the caraway seeds and mix well with your fingers.
Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in 3 cups of buttermilk. With a wooden spoon and working rapidly, beat the buttermilk into the flour. The mixture should form a self adhering ball. If not, add more buttermilk, 1/4 cup at a time. The dough should be soft and moist, but not so moist that it can't hold its shape. Add raisins and mix quickly.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Do not overknead. Shape into a round, 6 inches in diameter and 3 inches thick.
Transfer round to a non-stick baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a large X about 1/2 inch deep across its surface. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake 50 minutes longer. Cool on rack.