Since this month celebrates St Patrick’s Day, we wanted to share an easy and different recipe for Irish Soda Bread. It comes from Rona….did you know she went to cooking school? She LOVES to play with her food and here, she uses cranberries instead of raisins and adds a boatload of flavor with apricots and crystalized ginger. Toasted with a little grass-fed butter….or whatever vegan option you choose, it’s fantastic! Have a fun recipe you’ve “played” with to make it your own? Send it to us and we’ll share and mention it was from you!
Enjoy!
Rona
Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold butter, cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 ¾ cups cold buttermilk,
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup julienned apricots
- ½ cup crystalized ginger
- 1 egg (optional)
- 1 teaspoon milk (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and the flour mixture on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk and the egg in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Now add the cranberries, apricots, and crystalized ginger. Mix to combine.
The mixture may seem a bit wet, but dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. You may want to make 2 smaller loaves out of your dough. (I do that and freeze the second loaf). Place the loaf or loaves on the prepared sheet pan with parchment paper. If using the egg wash, beat the egg and add the milk, then brush the top and sides of the bread. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
Makes 1 large, or 2 medium breads, good for about 10 people.
