St. Patricks Day is next week; I can’t wait! I love the traditional (American) St. Patrick’s Day meal: Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots, Potatoes… I want it all. I’m kind of the only one in my little family that loves it though. E likes corned beef but not cabbage. A likes the carrots. They all prefer a grilled corned beef & cheese sandwich to a plate full of the above mentioned food.
But we can all agree on the bread! There are so many fun bread options for St. Patty’s Day. There is green snake bread (pictured above), which is a must in our house. You buy it at the store and enjoy it all day. Toast for breakfast, as sandwich bread for lunch and as a side for dinner.
Have you ever made Ina Garten’s Irish Guinness Brown Bread? Her recipe is available online and I highly recommend you try it, click here. It’s almost between bread and cake and is amazing, especially with some salted butter slathered on it!
But, the real deal is this Irish Soda Bread. I make a couple versions of soda bread and I love them all. But, I first had this version at my mom’s house on St. Patty’s Day in 2019. She made it and we COULD NOT get enough of it! I don’t know where she got the recipe. She photo copied something, wrote a substitute for buttermilk on the bottom and gave it to me. I would love to give credit where credit is due… but I don’t know who to give it to other than my mom. So thanks Mom!
I don’t have a great picture of the soda bread but please don’t let that deter you. Make this bread, you won’t be sorry!
Irish Soda Bread
Makes 1 Medium Loaf
Ingredients:
3 c All-Purpose Flour
3 T Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3 T cold Butter
1/2 c Dried Currants or Raisins
1 1/4 c Buttermilk
2 tsp Milk
Preheat Oven to 375.
Sift the first five ingredients into a large bowl.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients (using a pastry blender or two butter knives) until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs.
Stir in the currants/raisins.
Add buttermilk; stir only enough to moisten dry ingredients. Do not over-mix.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until it is smooth enough to shape into a flattened ball about 1 1/2″ high.
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush top of loaf with milk.
With a floured knife cut an X into the top of the loaf about 1/4″ deep, stopping 1″ from the edges.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until loaf is golden brown. Test by inserting a wooden skewer into the thickest part of the loaf.
Slide loaf onto a wire rack to cool.
Serve with salted butter.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3 c All-Purpose Flour
- 3 T Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3 T cold Butter
- 1/2 c Dried Currants or Raisins
- 1 1/4 c Buttermilk
- 2 tsp Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Sift the first five ingredients into a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients (using a pastry blender or two butter knives) until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Stir in the currants/raisins. Add buttermilk; stir only enough to moisten dry ingredients. Do not over-mix.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until it is smooth enough to shape into a flattened ball about 1 1/2" high.
- Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush top of loaf with milk. With a floured knife cut an X into the top of the loaf about 1/4" deep, stopping 1" from the edges.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until loaf is golden brown. Test by inserting a wooden skewer into the thickest part of the loaf.
- Slide loaf onto a wire rack to cool.
- Serve with salted butter.
I too love this dinner, and yes the bread alone is a treat, and so easy. Thank you for sharing all the above. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!
And to you!
Can I buy a loaf from you ? Pleeeeeezzzzzzzz