IRISH SODA BREAD

IRISH SODA BREAD

Irish Soda Bread

3 2/3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates
1 egg
1 2/3 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 425 degrees. lightly dust baking sheet with flour

Keep a little extra flour on the counter

Sift flour, baking soda, salt into large bowl 
Mix in sugar and raisins
In small bowl, beat egg with buttermilk.
Make a well in the flour and pour all but 1/4 c liquid
With a  clean hand, take your fingers and grab the flour 
and liquid with outstretched fingers, moving your hand
around the bowl in circles. Add more liquid if needed,
until it comes together. Don't knead or squeeze.
You want the dough to be soft, but not overly wet or sticky.
Turn the dough out onto your floured work surface and
pat the dough into a round. (mine seemed a little sticky,
just patted a little flour all around it) 
Place on baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes at 425, then reduce temp. to 400 degrees
and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or till the bread is
golden and sounds hollow when tapped on bottom.
Cool, or eat it right from oven.

I have convection bake so my bread was done after 20 min.
at the 400 degrees. Golden in color. Tappd on the bottom
sounded hollow. Cut it immediately, crusty outside,
soft inside. Delicious with butter. Raisins give it a little
sweet taste. Easier to slice it thick with bread knife.
After cooling completely, wrapped in foil