March 2013
“What’s that you say?”
“You say today is Saint Patrick’s Day?”
“Oh! Well in that case, yes! Yes, I would like a GIANT scone!”
Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, plus extra for currants
4 Tablespoons pure cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 organic, extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup raisins
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a stone baking pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add the butter. Use your hands to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is pea size.
With a fork or hand mixer, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup.
Create a well in the flour mixture, and then pour in the buttermilk.
Combine the raisins with 1 Tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf.
Place the loaf on the prepared pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with bright, yellow, creamy, Irish butter and orange marmelade.