Irish Soda Bread…for real

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve got a special treat for you: a traditional take on Irish Soda Bread. Frequently, Irish Soda Bread that’s available in America contains raisins, orange zest, or other sources of sweetness. While very, very tasty, these are actually variations on the traditional Irish bread, which contains absolutely no sugar and no yeast! The only revision we’ve made to this traditional recipe is color. Let’s face it – it’s just more fun to use food coloring when baking with kids. So here’s a traditional recipe with a vibrant green color: it’ll please both your kids AND your Irish grandma!

Green Soda Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour, use pastry flour if possible
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
A couple drops of green food coloring

Method:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with melted butter or spray with non-stick spray.

Combine dry ingredients in a deep bowl. Gradually stir in 1 cup buttermilk, beating constantly, until dough is firm enough to be gathered into a ball. If dough crumbles, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it holds together.

For a special St. Patrick’s Day flair, add a few drops of green food coloring.

Place on a lightly floured board and pat into an 8-inch flattened round loaf. Be sure not to over-knead the dough.

Place loaf on baking sheet and slash a 1/2-inch deep “X” into the top of the dough with a small, sharp knife.

Bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Serve hot.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-irish-soda-bread-160379#ixzz1GJiQrCgw

For more on the history of Irish Soda Bread, click here.

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