Irish Soda Bread (With Variant For Spotted Do

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: IRISH SODA BREAD (WITH VARIANT FOR SPOTTED DO
Categories: Ethnic, Irish, Breads
Yield: 2 servings

6 c All purpose flour
2 ts Baking soda
2 ts Baking powder
3 tb Cornstarch
2 ts Sugar
1 ts Salt
2 1/2 c Buttermilk ***

-------------------ADD FOR "SPOTTED DOG-------------------
1/2 c Raisins or sultanas

*** may substitute 2 1/2 cup water and 10 tablespoons
buttermilk powder.

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.

Add all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix
very well. (If making Spotted Dog variant, then add
raisins.) Pour all of the buttermilk into the bowl at
once and stir, using a wooden spoon, just until a soft
dough is formed. Do not try to make it smooth at this
point. Pour the contents of the bowl out onto a
plastic counter and knead for a minute or so until
everything comes together. You may need to add a bit
more flour depending on humidity. The dough should be
smooth, not sticky.

Divide the dough into two portions and shape each into
a round loaf, pressing the top down a bit to just
barely flatten it. Place the loaves on a large
ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle some additional
flour on the top of each loaf and, using a sharp
paring knife, make the sign of the Cross in slashes on
the top of each.

Allow the loaves to rest for 10 minutes and then bake
on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or
until the loaves are golden brown and done to taste.

Cool on racks.

Adapted from: The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant
Ancestors, by Jeff Smith. Entered by Dale & Gail
Shipp, Columbia Md. Personal comment: a close Irish
friend gives her stamp of approval on this as being an
authentic Irish soda bread. She supplied the "Spotted
Dog" variant.

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