Nana's Irish Soda Bread With Whiskey Soaked Raisins

"Our family favorite Irish soda bread recipe! Cut into wedges and serve warm with fresh butter as a traditional side to hearty Irish fare such as Stew, Cottage or Shepherd's Pie, or Corned Beef Dinner. Also a tasty tea-time snack served with butter and a dab of marmalade or a drizzle of honey, or with a slice of smoked salmon. Enjoy!"
 
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photo by kmccart photo by kmccart
photo by kmccart
photo by CaliforniaJan photo by CaliforniaJan
photo by CaliforniaJan photo by CaliforniaJan
Ready In:
1hr 10mins
Ingredients:
10
Yields:
1 round loaf Irish Soda Bread
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ingredients

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directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a small saucepan or in the microwave, bring the whiskey and honey to a boil and add the raisins or currants. Cover and off the heat. Set aside and let steep.
  • Butter a round 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish, set aside.
  • Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl; use a wire whisk to combine.
  • In a small bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the sour cream, mixing well to combine.
  • Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stir well with a wooden spoon (batter will be thick).
  • Stir in the whiskey-soaked raisins or currants (along with the whiskey-honey they were steeped in); blend well.
  • Turn batter into the prepared baking dish.
  • Dust the top with flour and pat the batter evenly in the pan with your hands.
  • Use a sharp knife to make a cross on the top.
  • Bake for 50 minutes in preheated 350 F oven.
  • Remove to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a serving dish. Cut into wedges and serve warm with real butter.

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Reviews

  1. I made this recipe for our dinner club when the theme was "spirits" and every dish had to have some kind of alcohol in it. It was incredible and it was everyone's favorite, including our friend from England who loves Irish soda bread. I made 2 slight changes out of necessity: I didn't have enough raisins so I used a combination of raisins and dried cranberries. I also didn't have Irish whiskey, but I had Fireball whiskey so I used that. It gave a wonderfully subtle cinnamon flavor to the raisins and cranberries. Finally, in my oven, it too longer to bake. At 50 minutes it looked golden and crisp on the top but a knife inserted into the middle of the bread still came out with batter on it. I kept adding time and checking it often but ultimately it took about another 17 minutes to cook to an internal temperature of 200 degrees and have a knife inserted in the center come out clean. This is a great recipe.
     
  2. We had this for St. Patrick's Day and it was so great. Don't tell, but I used Scotch whiskey to soak the raisins, but otherwise I made as posted.
     
  3. Absolutely delicious!! This was my first time attempting to make any kind of bread and the directions were specific enough that I came out with a tasty loaf that looked spectacular. The raisins have just the right amount of kick and the bread is pleasantly sweet. Overall, a well balanced and delicious recipe, the results of which I am hiding from my father so he doesn't eat the whole thing tonight!
     
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Tweaks

  1. Baked longer. Used Fireball Whiskey. Used combination of dried raisins and cranberries.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! &nbsp; Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!!&nbsp; &nbsp; A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much!&nbsp;</p>
 
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