Happy St Paddy's Day: My Pop's Irish Soda Bread

Aside from having blue eyes and freckles, one of the best things about being Irish-American is St Patrick's Day. And let's face it, the Irish are such good merry-makers, that we've opened our holiday to all-comers: Everyone's Irish on St Patrick's Day!

So, this year I decided to celebrate this greenest of days by making a loaf of my Pop's soda bread. From what I understand, my dad's recipe is a bit more traditional. Most of the Irish Soda Bread that you see in the US at this time of year is much more cake-like than bread-like - sweet and with a fine cakey crumb. But my dad's recipe actually produces a very lightly sweetened, somewhat crumbly bread. I think of it as the health-conscious cousin of a scone. It's perfect to enjoy lightly buttered with a cup of tea.

 Pop's Irish Soda Bread

2 c flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp softened butter
1 c buttermilk (or 1c milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar)
1/2-1c raisins (depending on how raisin-y you like it)
1 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Sift first 5 ingredients into a bowl. Cut in the butter (by hand or in mixer). Stir in raisins and seeds. Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the flour is wet. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky. Turn out onto a floured board or counter.

Knead until smooth, sprinkling with additional flour if necessary. Form into a round disc about 8" across. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Cut a cross into the dough.

Bake for 40 min until center is dry and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Brush with melted butter if you want to give loaf a nice shine.

I should add that you can leave out the caraway seeds (like I did) if you're not crazy about them. I also used white whole wheat flour for about 1/3 of the called for flour.

So, whether you are Irish by birth or just by mirth, here's hoping that your beer is green today! Erin go bragh, peeps!!