Irish Soda Bread

It wouldn't really be Saint Patrick's Day without some easy to prepare Irish soda bread, would it?

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 Tbs. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir-in 1 cup buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a slightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf. (The cross is symbolic. It is used on Irish soda bread to draw-out evil spirits.)

Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

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The following is an excerpt from an article entitled "The History of ... Irish Soda Bread by Nicole Weston dated March 16, 2006. Check it out. She offers some interesting stuff to read.

The original soda breads contained nothing more than flour, buttermilk, baking soda and salt. The buttermilk was leftover from the butter making process and the bread was almost always served with freshly churned butter. Today, the breads often contain ...