Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

In case you didn’t get enough Irish today, here’s a quick, easy soda bread with lots of flavor.  It’s adapted from a recipe in Barefoot Contessa At Home by Ina Garten.

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the currants

1 cup finely ground whole wheat flour*

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2-inch dice

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup dried currants

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low until the butter is mixed into the dry ingredients.

Beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together, and with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Shake the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the  dough.  The dough should be quite wet.

Put the dough on a floured board and knead lightly into a round loaf.  Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan, and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread.  Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

* We use freshly ground whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, but all-purpose flour can also be used.