It wouldn’t be March if we couldn’t celebrate the Irish! Try this traditional recipe for Irish soda bread, you won’t be disappointed.
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4 cups all-purpose flour
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4 tablespoons white sugar
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup margarine, softened
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1 ¼ cup buttermilk
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1 egg
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1/4 cup butter, melted
Set your oven to 375 and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of the buttermilk and egg.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead briefly. Form it into a round and place it on the baking sheet.
Combine the melted butter with the remaining ¼ of buttermilk and brush the dough with this mixture. Cut an X into the top of the round.
Bake until a toothpick comes out of the center of the loaf clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and keep a close eye on it. Continue to brush the loaf with the melted butter and buttermilk mixture while it bakes.
There are numerous variations and tweaks that can be done to add a bit of kick to this traditional recipe. We like adding just a hint of ginger and a pinch of cinnamon. Try this bread as an appetizer with a dry white or as part of a heavier meal with a medium to full bodied red. Enjoy!