Irish Soda Bread 1

Rita~'s Note:

I just love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You tell me what you think????!!! Filled with dried cranberries and raisins and flavored with the black caraway seeds are so good. You can use regular but the black tops this. These black seed is also known as Black Cumin, Habbatul Baraka (the Blessed Seed), and by its botanical name "Nigella Sativa".

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 14

Yield: 1.0 loaf

• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Irish whiskey (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds, using black caraway better known as yummy Or
• 2 tablespoons nigella seeds, sativa

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pump up dried fruit:.
3. Place raisins and cranberries in a glass bowl 1/4 cup pour water or whiskey (gives it a real Irish kick) over it.
4. Cover with plastic wrap or paper towel and microwave it for 1 minute. Let sit to cool.
5. Add salt, baking powder, sugar, and flour to food processor and pulse 3 times to sift.
6. Add the buttermilk, butter and eggs and mix till it comes to a doughy ball.
7. Mix in seeds and drained raisins, and cranberries. You may need to do this step by hand.
8. Don`t worry if you can knead the dough into a ball it still will be very good. At times my dough is moist because of moisture in the air.
9. Place the dough into a well buttered pan using hands well floured shaping the dough.
10. (I like cast iron skillet 8-9 inches). Pat down in center for even baking.
11. Mark a cross on top and brush with more melted butter.
12. Bake in 350 Degree oven for 50-60 minutes.

Reviews

[Barb Gertz]

OH MY GOSH Rita this the VERY BEST SODA BREAD, The flavor is absolutely delicious. I made it for dinner last evening. EVERYONE LOVED IT.I made it in my Iron Skillet(Spider- cherished kitchen item)Thank you SOOOoooo Much for posting the recipe. IT IS A KEEPER.

[LauraTracey]

I grew up with grandmothers and incredible Irish Bakeries, so I've had great Irish soda bread. And this is GREAT Irish soda bread!!! I didn't add the cranberries because traditional recipes don't include them. Instead of mixing the caraway into the dough, I sprinkled it on top. Also, I brushed the top with buttermilk before baking for the nice golden top. (last thing, I put the raisins in a little water and microwaved them for a minute so they wouldn't dry out the dough) This is a fabu recipe!!!

[Angiepangie]

I have made this recipe for the last 3 years and can't believe I haven't rated it yet. This is the best soda bread I have ever tried. I soak the raisins and cranberries in whiskey but don't drain them all the way to keep more of the whiskey taste in the bread. I add additional flour to make up for the extra liquid just until the dough is slightly less wet. Then I bake and eat it, and eat some more, and then eat a little bit more. Fantastic!