How to Make Irish Soda Bread from Scratch

Instructions

• 1

  Take two cups of all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl.
• 2

  Add two tablespoons of sugar, half teaspoon baking soda, half teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon finely shredded orange peel to the flour.
• 3

  Also add three tablespoons of butter to the above dry mixture.
• 4

  Take a pastry blender and blend the mixture well until it makes coarse crumbs.
• 5

  Add 1/3 cups currants to the mixture and stir well.
• 6

  In a small mixing bowl, pour ¾ cup butter milk and two eggs. Mix egg and buttermilk well.
• 7

  Now pour this egg and buttermilk mixture into the bowl containing the mixture of flour, butter and other ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add eggs and buttermilk all at once.
• 8

  Thoroughly stir this liquid into the dry ingredients using a large wooden spoon.
• 9

  Now pour the mixture onto a surface lightly dusted with flour and knead it to make a smooth dough. The dough will continue to stick together as you keep on kneading it. Knead the dough just four to five times, over-kneading will make your bread hard.
• 10

  Once you are done kneading, shape it into a round loaf of six to seven inches diameter.
• 11

  Place your dough on a lightly greased baking sheet and cut it into four parts to form an X.
• 12

  Bake the dough in a preheated oven (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 35 minutes.
• 13

  Slice the bread and let it cool down a bit before you serve.