Irish Soda Bread

Original recipe, here.

I wasn't working on St. Patrick's Day, so I decided that I wanted to make something festive. Of course, corned beef and cabbage are also a given, but I didn't have corned beef or access to the car to go buy some. Instead I searched for some St. Patty's Day recipes and found this recipe for Irish Soda Bread. It was really easy and had a great flavor. My husband told me that we needed to make it part of our annual St. Patrick's Day Meal!

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Ready In: 1 hr, 5 min

Ingredients: (I did not have buttermilk on hand, so I made "my own" using a ratio of 1 c regular milk and 1 TB lemon juice)

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. Continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
4. Serve with jam or on its own!