"When I was a small child, my father used to take my elder brother and me to New York City for St. Patrick's Day," writes Stephanie Foley of Massapequa, Long Island. "We would spend the morning marching in the parade while my mother, back in Long Island, prepared a feast of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. But what we all truly looked forward to was her Irish soda bread. It's savory and substantial — and unlike any other I have tried. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do."
Recipe information
Total Time
2 1/2 hours
Yield
Makes 2 (6-inch) loaves
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.
Step 2
Sift together 4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and stir in sugar, caraway, and raisins. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy.
Step 3
Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and gently knead with floured hands about 8 times to form a soft but slightly less sticky dough. Halve dough and form into 2 balls. Pat out each ball into a domed 6-inch round on baking sheet. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep X on top of each loaf with a sharp knife, then brush loaves with butter.
Step 4
Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaves to racks to cool completely.
