Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

3½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, preferably Irish butter, cut into small cubes

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons caraway seeds or

1½ cups dark raisins

1 large egg

1 cup whole buttermilk

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line a cast-iron skillet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and cut it in by hand or using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse sand with small marbles of butter remaining. Place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the bowl from the freezer, add the sour cream, and mix with a fork to make a shaggy dough. Stir in the caraway seeds (or raisins).

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.

5. Form a well in the flour-butter mixture, add the egg-buttermilk mixture, and stir with a fork until a slightly wet dough forms. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet. Using floured hands, shape the dough into a round loaf 8 inches across and 2 inches tall. With a sharp knife, score a ¾-inch- deep cross onto the top of the dough to ensure even baking.

6. Bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

7. Allow to cool before slicing.

Notes

Symon Says

Soda bread can be made, formed, and kept tightly wrapped and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead of baking. Alternately the bread can be baked and cooled up to 2 days ahead of time.