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Bob’s Favorite Irish Soda Bread

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 15-ounce box raisins
  • 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
  • 3 tbsp. caraway seeds, optional
  • 1 1/2 cups extra flour, for dusting
  • 4 ounces extra butter, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
  • Into a medium size bowl, pour raisins, cover with water, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from microwave and set aside to cool. then drain completely.
  • Put aside until ready to use.
  • Lightly spray a jelly roll size pan, baking sheet or 2 cast iron skillets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda together and then pour into a food processor that has been fitted with a metal blade.
  • In a small, bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk until blended.
  • Add the cold butter and pulse 8 to 12 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Add the two beaten eggs and buttermilk, and process until dough comes together about a minute or two
  • Dust work surface with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour; turn out the dough onto work surface.
  • Add the plump raisins and optional caraway seeds, if using, knead with floured hands till raisins are incorporated into the dough, and then divide the dough into two equal portions, and shape into two round breads.
  • Transfer to prepared baking pan or skillet.
  • Brush loaves with egg wash, till covered completely.
  • Then with a serrated knife cut an X in top of each loaf.
  • Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • The bread should sound hallow when tapped on the bottom with a knife.
  • Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.
  • Slice and serve warm with additional butter.

Notes

Just a word of caution, if you do not have a large capacity food processor, you may want to make half the recipe at a time, or finish in a mixer with a dough hook. Sometimes I like to use a 9 x 5 size loaf pan for one of the loaves. Plumping the raisins adds moisture to the bread.