Irish Soda Bread With Raisinets

There are many soda bread recipes that contain raisins, but using Raisinets (found in the candy aisle) gives the bread a little chocolate flavor as well. I made it for the kids first and they loved the bread this way; when I tried it I liked it this way too and I make it sometimes as an alternative to the usual Irish Soda Bread.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

•  nonstick cooking spray
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup  milk  chocolate-covered raisins (Raisinets)
• 1  tablespoon  coarse sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-in round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in food processor. Pulse to combine (or combine ingredients in a large bowl).
3. Add butter to food processor; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (or, cut butter into pieces, add to bowl and use fingertips to rub until coarse meal forms). Be careful not to overmix or bread will be tough. There should be small pieces of butter visible in the dough.
4. Add buttermilk to food processor; pulse to combine (or, make well in center of flour mixture, then add buttermilk and stir dry ingredients into milk to blend).
5. Turn dough onto floured surface; gently knead in Raisinets. Form into a ball. Place ball in prepared pan (don't press down the dough to make it come to the edges of pan. Just lay it in the pan as is). Sprinkle top with decorating sugar.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove bread from pan and place on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.