IRISH SODA BREAD II

Vivian Wachsberger
ccSCOOP Guest Food Writer

4 to 4½ cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
Grated rind of 1 orange (not totally traditional, but adds nice flavor)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons butter, diced
1 cup white raisins
2 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°. Sprinkle a little water on a cookie sheet and place piece of parchment on it. (The water will keep the parchment from slipping)

Put 4 cups flour, the sugar, orange rind, salt, and baking soda into food processor bowl with bread blade (so you don’t cut up the raisins). Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whiz in the raisins and caraway.

With motor running, pour in egg and buttermilk. Pulse until it comes together. If it remains too sticky, add last ½ cup of flour.

Flour your hands and turn dough out onto parchment. Pat it into a round loaf and score the top with an X using a serrated knife.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes until loaf is a lovely brown color and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry. Put bread on rack to cool completely.