Here is Irish Soda Bread No. 1 -- the recipe my Granny made, with the exception that she used lard instead of butter (since I don't keep lard around and prefer the taste of butter). It is a more dense bread than Recipe No. 2 which is also a little sweeter due to the sugar sprinkled on top (and really tasty because of that). They look the same, this recipe making a larger loaf than the other one.
Irish Soda Bread
Frances Viola O'Brien Baker
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons cold butter, small dice
1-1/4 cups raisins
1 beaten egg
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bread making bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Work in the little bits of butter with your fingertips until they resemble small peas. Mix in the raisins (you can use more or less depending on your family's preference, we like a LOT of raisins). Beat the egg into the buttermilk with a fork.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk/egg mixture into it. Stir until well blended, but don't overwork it. Work around the bowl with your hands, kneading it lightly until there is no dough sticking to the sides and it forms a nice ball. Gather the ball and place it into a greased 12 inch cast iron skillet, flattening slightly. Cut a deep cross into the loaf (it will close slightly as it bakes).
Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes, until the bread is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out clean and dry. Place it on a wire rack to cool. If you would like a soft crust, cool in a teatowel, if not, cool just sitting on the rack without a teatowel. Makes 1 round loaf of bread.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
And, here is Irish Soda Bread No. 2 -- the recipe I printed off a fellow blogger's site last year, so I guess I should give proper credit. Originally I saw it on a blog by someone named Addie who had lovely Greece photos on her site at the time, with a link to where she got the recipe, which was her friend, MB, who posted it on her blog, crediting Bon Appetit for its origin. It has much more sugar in it and seemed more scone-like, so I was intrigued and made a note to give it a whirl. It tastes REALLY GOOD! (Note: This recipe is lighter, less dense, than the first one, which is probably due to the baking powder in this recipe...I do like that a lot. The first recipe has more raisins which adds sweetness, the second recipe has more sugar which adds sweetness...both taste pretty sweet.)Irish Soda Bread with Raisins
from Bon Appetit via Addie via MB
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups all purpose flour
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
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 8-inch-diameter cake pan with nonstick spray. 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.
Using floured hands, shape dough into ball. Transfer to prepared pan and flatten slightly (dough will not come to edges of pan). Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake bread until brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes. Transfer to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 1 loaf.