Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a quick, easy, delicious, and healthier soda bread (at least I think it’s healthier 
because it has some whole wheat flour added).
It’s not quite your traditional Irish soda bread because it also contains currants and orange zest. They give it lots of flavor so it’s not a bland bread.
The recipe is adapted from a recipe in Barefoot Contessa At Home by Ina Garten. It’s delicious warm from the oven with some butter, and is really so easy to make that it shouldn’t be reserved for just St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. It’s make dinner great any time, and is pretty good as toast too!
- 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" 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 baking sheet 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.
- In a separate bowl, 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.
All-purpose flour can be used for the entire flour amount, but we use the freshly ground whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor.
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