Irish Soda Bread is considered a quick bread because there is no yeast and therefore it doesn't need time to rise. The result is a large mounded loaf of bread with a golden, crusty exterior and a dense, scone-like interior.
Ingredients
4 cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
1 tsp caraway seeds, optional
Instructions
Mix together the dry ingredients.
With a pastry blender or a fork, mix in the butter. (I cut the butter into chunks so that it is easier to mix in.) You will have a coarse, crumbly mixture.
Add the caraway seeds if desired.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
Remove 1 tsp of egg and reserve it to coat the top of the loaf of bread.
Add the buttermilk to the remaining eggs and stir the mixture into the butter crumble.
The dough will be sticky.
Knead the dough briefly on a well-floured surface to form a ball.
Place the dough ball into a greased 2-quart casserole pan or onto a greased baking sheet. (Be sure to grease the bottom of the pan well so that the loaf doesn't stick to the pan.)
With a knife, make two ¼-inch deep slits to form a cross.
Brush the top of the loaf with 1 tsp egg and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes-one hour, or until done.
The top crust will be golden and the inside will resemble a scone.
If the crust starts to get too dark, cover the bread loosely with a sheet of foil.
Remove the bread from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Gently run a table knife around the edges and remove the bread from the pan.
It is best when it is served warm.
TIP: I have also made a half batch of this bread and baked it on a greased baking sheet. It spreads out more on the pan but it still has the wonderful scone-like texture.
Recipe by Itsy Bitsy Foodies at http://itsybitsyfoodies.com/irish-soda-bread/