Irish Soda Bread

It is St. Partick's day weekend and of course I had to celebrate it by baking something Irish. I am very proud to be Irish and I love bragging about being Irish, so I love St. Patrick's Day. I have always loved Irish Soda Bread, it has a sweetness and a heartiness to it that is just delicious. This recipe is really simple and easy to follow. I am a huge currant fan so that makes this recipe even more amazing. If you don't know what currants are, they are kind of like a sweet raisin. So, if you are Irish and proud or wish you could be Irish make this bread to celebrate!

Irish Soda Bread:

4 cups of all purpose flour (Plus extra for the currants and to flour the board to knead the bread)

4 tbs of sugar 

1 tsp of baking soda 

1 1/2 tsp of salt 

4 tbs of cold unsalted butter cut up into pieces 

1 3/4 cup of buttermilk 

1 egg

1 tsp of orange zest

1 cup of dried currants 

First, preheat your oven to 375 and spray a baking sheet. Then, in your mixer mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. 

Then, mix in the cut up butter. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, egg, and the orange zest. Make sure the egg is beaten and that the buttermilk is shaken. 

Then, mix the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and beat together until well combined. 

Then, mix the currants with a tablespoon of flour and coat them. 

Then, add the currants into the mixture and mix it all together, 

Then, flour a board and pour the bread mixture on the board. Knead it a few times in the flour into a round shape and cut an X shape at the top of the dough.

Place the dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake for about 55 minutes of until a knife comes out clean and the bread is browned on top.

Serve it warm and Enjoy! :)