The Best Irish Soda Bread I Have Ever Tasted!

My grandmother worked along side her 3 sons and husband at the family marina and kept and eye on me (that may have been the biggest challenge!) all while she was cooking and feeding everyone simultaneously.

This Irish Soda Bread is one of her tried and true recipes and in her own words, “It is a no fuss, really easy recipe.”

I cherish these little hand written notes from her that are that tucked in among her recipe cards – each time I read one I feel her presence still with me.

This is my favorite Spring recipe – it is unlike any Irish Soda Bread that you will find in a supermarket.

I have never found another Irish Soda Bread as good as hers and wanted to share her recipe with all of you.

Nana made this recipe with me years ago and today I made it with my daughter. Nana was right – this is a no fuss really easy recipe AND the kids will love to help make it!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all purpose flour + and additional 1/4 cup or so for kneading
• 4 rounded teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3 tablespoons of sugar + additional sugar for dusting finished bread
• 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds
• 1 cup of currants – I use the Sun Maid Zante Currants – you can find them near the raisins
• 2 cups of buttermilk – I use Kate’s Real Buttermilk – it is from Maine and you can find it at Market Basket
• butter or margarine

Getting Started:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease and flour a cast-iron skillet – you can also use a pie pan – my Nana swore that every home needed at least 1 cast iron skillet
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix 4 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and caraway seeds. Once blended, add currants.
4. Add buttermilk all at once to flour mixture and mix with a fork until dough forms
5. Sprinkle some extra flour onto work surface and knead dough for about 5 minutes or until smooth – use additional four if necessary to prevent sticking
6. Once dough is smooth, form into a round loaf and place into the greased and floured pan
7. Using a sharp knife or razor blade, cut a 1/2 inch deep ‘X’ across the top of the loaf
8. Bake for 60 minutes until loaf is lightly brown
9. Butter the hot top of the bread and sprinkle with sugar
10. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing

TIP – Make it ahead of time. Nana made us wait at least 8 hours before we could have the bread, she thought it tasted better after it ‘rested’. It also may have just been an excuse to keep us out of the kitchen.