Irish Soda Bread is a thick, sweet bread that, like
stollen, works best as
breakfast or a
dessert. Most Irish soda bread contains
raisins, although variants call for other kinds of dried fruit or nuts. It's best if you butter it lightly and eat it with
coffee,
tea,
milk, or
orange juice. Oh, and if you're ever in eastern
New Jersey,
Delicious Orchards makes some of the best Irish Soda Bread on the
planet.
Ingredients:
Sift together the first four ingredients; then cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender. Add the raisins, then add buttermilk, egg, and baking soda. Mix a little, then knead briefly. Put in a casserole dish, brush with egg yolk, and bake for one hour at 375 degrees. When done, cool on a wire rack; sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar if desired.