Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!

Who’s ready to celebrate the day where everyone is Irish??? I know I am! Before someone hands me my first green beer, I’ll be carb loading with some Irish Soda Bread! It’s perfect to serve for breakfast, as a starter for a corned beef dinner or of course as a pre libation snack. One suggestion for this recipe… Make two loaves. I promise you’ll thank me!

Irish Soda Bread

• 4 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour, Plus 3 Tablespoons Reserved
• 4 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 ½ Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Diced in Small Pieces
• 1 ¼ Cups Buttermilk
• 1 Egg, Lightly Beaten
• Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
• ½ Cup Dried Currants
• ½ Cup Yellow Raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly whisk buttermilk, egg, orange zest and juice together and set aside.
3. Add ½ tablespoon of reserved flour to each the raisins and currants.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine 4 cups flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
5. On low speed add butter and mix until just combined.
6. With mixer still on low speed slowly add buttermilk mixture.
7. Fold in currants and raisins. Mixture will be very wet.
8. Generously flour work surface with remaining reserved flour.
9. Dump dough onto surface and lightly knead into round loaf.
10. Place loaf on parchment lined baking sheet and score with serrated knife.
11. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until testing toothpick comes out clean.
12. Serve warm or at room temperature with honey butter.

Honey Butter

• 4 Tablespoons Room Temperature Unsalted Butter
• ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Honey

1. Combine butter, salt and honey and serve with the soda bread.