Irish Soda Bread---with Raisins

This recipe was in the latest [Feb/Mar.2010] issue of Cooking Club.com,in preparation, I'm sure, for St. Patrick's Day. I've made it twice in one week, so I think that means it's a keeper! Here it is, so I won't be fumbling through a stack of the magazines, trying to remember which issue it was in, and also for Pauline, my good blog friend.

Rustic Irish Soda Bread

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

1/2 cup hot brewed black tea

2 tsps caraway seeds [I'm just quoting the recipe here. I hate caraway seeds which are a common ingredient in soda bread, so I always leave them out!]

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tblsps packed brown sugar

1 Tblsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a pie pan or small cookie sheet. I sometimes just sprinkle the pan with flour, no grease. Pour the hot tea over the raisins in a small bowl and let sit for ten minutes. Drain well.

Crush caraway seeds, if using, to release nauseating smell---oops! I mean fragrance!

Whisk flours, soda and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in raisins and, if you must, caraway seeds.

Combine buttermilk, melted butter and brown sugar. Gradually stir into dry ingredients just until they are moistened.

Knead dough a few times dusting with a little flour to keep it from sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place in pan. Flatten slightly to a thickness of 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

Dust lightly with flour and, with a sharp knife, cut a 1/2 deep cross on top of the bread. Legend has it, according to the magazine, that this allows the fairies or the devil to escape........sounds like a lot of mullarky to me!

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown, sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool slightly on a wire rack before slicing. Try not to eat the whole thing at one sitting.....or maybe that's just a problem for me!

Note to Pauline: My favourite recipe for Brown Soda bread is in the post titled "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread." You might also like my recipe for Tea Scones.