Irish Soda Bread

A special thanks to my friend Beverly for baking this bread for our St. Patrick's Day meal.  So very tasty with butter and also eaten alongside the vegetable soup cooked for that night.

3 cups (12 oz.) of wheat flour

1 cup (4 oz.) of white flour (do not use self-rising as it already contains baking powder and salt)

14 ounces of buttermilk (pour in a bit at a time until the dough is moist)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.

2 ounces of butter if you want to deviate a bit.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a cake pan.  In a large bowl sieve and combine all the dry ingredients.  Rub in the butter until the flour is crumbly.

Add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough.  Place on floured surface and lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape)

Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.

Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped to show it is done.

Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

Let cool and you are ready to have a buttered slice with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Recipe from Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread