We love the month of March. It signals the much-anticipated end of winter and promises the welcome renewal of spring. It’s fun to have a holiday in the middle of it that everybody can enjoy—even if you’re not Irish. We make this honey-infused Irish soda bread all year round. It’s a particular favorite in our household for breakfast and after school snacks.
Soda bread is an incredibly easy recipe that is amenable to many different variations and additions. It’s a simple, no-rise bread that uses baking soda as a leavening agent. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made in only 1.5 hours—from collecting the ingredients to enjoying a slice, warm and fragrant from the oven.
You can change this classic to your own preferences by using different types of flour, sea salt, grated cheeses, or even garlic. While tasty on its own with a pat of butter, it pairs equally well with a hearty soup or stew. Toast a slice the next day and spread with jam for a yummy snack.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Bee America Orange Blossom Honey
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
Instructions:
Stir together the flour, baking soda and caraway seeds in large bowl
Cut in butter using a pastry blender or knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
Mix in raisins
Add buttermilk and Bee America Orange Blossom Honey to flour mixture and gently stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a soft dough
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface to knead until smooth (no more than 2 minutes)
Shape the dough into a round ball and gently flatten onto a baking sheet topped with parchment
Brush the top of the ball with additional buttermilk and cut an "X" in the top with a sharp knife
Bake at 375° F for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crusty
Special Notes:
If the dough is too dry, add a little more buttermilk
If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour
