Irish Soda Bread

Every year I bring out the Irish in me and make Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day. And every year I wonder why I only make this bread once a year. I don't know where this recipe came from but it's the one my family has been using for years. This is one of the few recipes that I don't change anything about. It's the best Irish Soda bread I've ever had. I tried using a different recipe one year because, I mean, how different could it possibly be? It was not the same and I will never do it again. This year, I made two recipes - one with raisins and one without.

Irish Soda Bread

3 1/2 cups self rising flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup golden raisins - regular is fine too (optional) 3 eggs - 2 in the dough and 1 for the egg wash 1/2 cup butter -melted 1 tsp baking soda *1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix all ingredients until a dough starts to form then kneed until everything is fully incorporated. Form the dough into loaves (I got 2 loaves out of one recipe) and place on a prepared baking sheet. Cut an X into each loaf with a sharp knife and then brush with an egg wash. I made my egg wash using one egg and a little bit of melted butter.

Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

*If you don't have buttermilk available, you can fake it by adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the milk. It won't be exactly the same but it works in a pinch!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!