Irish Soda Bread

Do you have 1 Cup of Buttermilk in your fridge waiting to be used?  One stick of Butter?  A little more than 1 Cup of Raisins?  If the answers are yes, this easy Irish Soda Bread, can be prepared very quickly.  My friend Carol from Charli and Me has shared this recipe many times and it has become a bread that I bake at this time in March.  A slice of this very delicious treat, also called Spotted Dog, is enjoyed at breakfast, especially during the week of St. Patrick's Day.

There is a little history - The original recipe is from the Will O'Glenn Irish Bed and Breakfast in Michigan with Mrs. Biddy Gahan sharing it.  I can envision a woman in Ireland happily baking this tasty treat for her family early on St. Patrick's Day morning.  :)    

One year I was searching for such a bread recipe that contained no eggs and little sugar and found this recipe using "Google".  It has now become a family favorite!  In my family "it's all about the raisins"!  Once in my haste I melted & cooled the Butter and then found it easier to mix into the dry ingredients - hence the change.   

Irish Soda Bread
Oven:  400°F, then lowered to 375°F     
Total baking time:  45 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup boiling Water
*  *  *
1 stick Butter - I use unsalted.
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk, can be low fat/fat free

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray a 8" or 9 " Pyrex Pie Plate with PAM.
3. In a small bowl combine Raisins and boiling Water.  Let sit while preparing dough.
4. Melt Butter.  Cool.
5. In larger bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Sugar.
6. Add melted Butter to dry ingredients, stir in.
7. Add Buttermilk, stir.
8. Add drained Raisins, stir.
9. Shape into a ball after placing dough into pie plate.  Dough will be sticky.
10. Bake 15 Minutes at 400°F.
11. Lower oven to 375°F.  Bake 30 Minutes longer.
12. Remove the bread from pie plate and cool on rack.
13. After cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
14. Wait at least 5 hours before cutting into slices and eating.

I cut the bread into slices and then place in two sealed Ziploc Bags.  A half slice of Irish Soda Bread is a very tasty treat.  Extra slices do freeze well.

Enjoy!
Yummy!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!