Sprinkle a thick coating of flour on a
clean surface such as a countertop or cutting board (to knead the
bread).
In a large bowl, stir together the dry
ingredients.
In a cup or small bowl, beat the wet
ingredients (egg and buttermilk) together.
Make a well in the center of the dry
ingredients and add the wet ingredients all at once.
Stir to combine.
Dump the dough out onto a floured surface
and knead briefly, shaping into a disk about three inches high.
Cut a cross about 1/2 inch deep on the
surface.
Place on baking sheet and bake for about
40 minutes until it sounds hollow when you thump the base with your
thumb and forefinger.
Cool on a rack and wrap tightly to store.
To slice, break into four quarters along
the lines of the cross on the surface.
Slice the quarters thickly and serve with
butter and jam or marmalade.
If
you only know Irish soda bread as the sawdust-dry brown stuff that your
Aunt Maeve made on St. Patrick's Day, you never had "real" Irish soda
bread. In its purer form, this fast-mixing, fast-baking bread is loaded
with wheat germ that keeps it moist and flavorful, almost like a
tender-crumbed cake. Adding extra germ helps keep it moist all week when
well-wrapped, and you can toast slices for the last couple of days,
heightening the nutty flavor.
In
Ireland, it's the traditional accompaniment to smoked salmon, but if you
eat a slice for breakfast spread with butter and a thick jam such as
apricot preserves, you'll go out the door whistling "When Irish Eyes are
Smiling."
You
can double this recipe and freeze one loaf, but it's so easy to mix, you
may want to simply make a fresh one on Sunday mornings.
