Irish Soda Bread

 

If you know me personally, you know that I'm pretty proud of my Irish heritage.  I love all things green, my birthstone is emerald, I even have three Irish themed tattoos.  I also believe no meal is complete without potato.  My favorite part of being Irish has always been listening to stories from my grandparents.  The Irish are gifted story tellers.  My grandfather was known to break into an Irish brogue mid story, even if he wasn't talking about Ireland.  My grandmother, or Nana as we call her, is first generation American.  Her mother (from Cork) and her father (from Galway) came to the US separately when they were teenagers.  My Nana is an out of this world cook and baker.  She says a good Irish woman doesn't need recipes, that they just know how to make everything delicious.  One day she taught me how to make Irish soda bread.  I was never allowed to look at the recipe, but after each ingredient was added she quizzed me on the recipe so far.  To this day, years later, I still have that recipe memorized (though I will sometimes cheat and look at the recipe my mom wrote down, just to be safe). 

So now I will let you in on the Dolan/Simpson/Rowan family secret recipe! 

<3 Sweet Cheeks

YOU WILL NEED:

 

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbs. caraway seeds (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

~1 c. milk

iron frying pan

PREPARATIONS:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. To really plump your raisins: Measure 1/2 cup raisins in a 1 cup measuring cup.  Pour boiling water into the cup until the raisins are completely covered.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes, then drain water.  Set the raisins aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  I don't have a sifter, so I whisked them together. If you choose to use caraway seeds, you can mix them in now.  The seeds make it taste more like rye bread, whereas without the seeds it tastes more like a dessert cake.  I chose not to use the seeds.  This is also where you can add your raisins. 

4. Mix egg and baking soda in a large measuring cup.  Pour milk into the cup until the 1 cup line.  Whisk this mixture together. 

5. Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture.  Pour the milk mixture into the hole and mix together until all the flour is wet.

6.. If you have a well seasoned iron frying pan, you can pour the mixture straight into the pan.  If your pan isn't seasoned, you'll need to grease the pan with butter or oil. 

7. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean. (This changes for me every time, so I check often after the 30 minute mark.  This time mine was done at 40 minutes.) 

 8. Enjoy warm with butter!