Brian Brophy's Irish Soda Bread

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 4 cups unsifted flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 4 ounces butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and left in the refrigerator un use
• 1/2 lb raisins (sunmaid for baking are best) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• 3 toss mixture with hands or wire whisk to make it light and airy.
• 4 put dry mixture and butter into a food processor and pulse a few times until butter is the size of peas return to bowl and add raisins and/or caraway seeds if using.
• 5 beat eggs in a separate bowl, add buttermilk and blend well.
• 6 pour egg mixture, a little at a time, into dry mixture.
• 7 blend well with a spoon or spatula.
• 8 don't overmix.
• 9 dough should be heavy, but not too wet.
• 10 if too dry, add a little more buttermilk.
• 11 dust hands with flour and mold dough into a round.
• 12 place dough into a greased 9" round pan.
• 13 dust top generously with flour.
• 14 cut a deep cross into the dough.
• 15 this will prevent the bread from cracking, and it looks traditional.
• 16 bake at 350°f for one hour, or until well browned and center is not doughy.
• 17 cool on rack, and serve warm w/butter and jam.