Hello folks…

Another busy weekend here at the Kitchen at YMCA Camps of Medford. In honor of Saint Partick’s Day, my Friday evening “Learn to Cook” class learned how to make Irish Soda Bread from scratch AND the delicious Philadelphia regional treat, Irish Potatoes!!

On Saturday we held a “Beef and Ale” style fundraiser here at Camp and served up the tastiest Corned Beef and Cabbage you’ve ever had!! Also making an appearance for the meal was more Irish Soda Bread. I made 12 loaves on Saturday morning and just about every crumb was consumed.

The compliments poured in over the bread so I though I’d share my secret recipe here with everyone to enjoy.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
  • 5 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into cubes
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk (or substitute – see below)
  • 1 whole egg, beaten
  • 2/3 cup raisins

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in large bowl to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Make well in center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk. Gradually stir dry ingredients into milk to blend. Mix in raisins.

Turn the dough out on to a floured surface. Using floured hands, lightly knead the dough approximately 15 times and shape dough into ball. Transfer to sheet pan covered in parchment paper and flatten slightly. Using a sharp knife, score and X on top of the loaf. Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Now here are some notes and tips for this recipe… I’ve made this more than a dozen time just this weekend alone so i’ve learned a few things. If you don’t have buttermilk or want to buy a whole quart for just this little recipe you may substitute with regular milk and EITHER lemon juice OR white vinegar… not both. The ratio for a buttermilk substitute is 1 cup of milk plus one tablespoon of lemon juice (or white vinegar)… but since we only need 3/4 of a cup for this recipe measure that amount and then add slightly less than a full tablespoon of the lemon juice or vinegar.

And personally I prefer the lemon juice.

This dough will be very sticky and gooey… DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. Your hands will get MESSY… but given enough time and extra flour it will form up nicely in to a loaf. Make sure you turn it out on to a floured surface with floured hands to knead it in to a ball. Let the dough suck up as much flour as it needs as you form it in to a round loaf. Use a bench scraper to work it up off of the work surface if you need to.

Be patient… good luck and… be good…

Chef Jason