Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
  3 cups        flour, all-purpose
  1 cup         oats, quick
  1 teaspoon    salt
  1 tablespoon  baking powder
  1 teaspoon    baking soda
  4 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup         maple syrup
  2             egg
3/4 cup         currants, dried
  1 pinch       caraway seeds

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9” pie plate.
	 
	Combine all-purpose flour with the quick oats, salt, baking powder, and
baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir well. Cut in 4 Tbsp. butter until
butter is coated with flour and in pea-sized pieces.
In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, maple syrup, and eggs. Beat
slightly. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add currants
and optional caraway seeds.
	           
	Sprinkle flour on a wooden cutting board and turn dough onto board. Knead
gently 10 times, until the dough is well-dusted with flour.
Form into a round and turn onto the greased pie plate. Cut a cross in the
center, about 3” long and 1” deep.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing.


Description:
This soda bread has a nice, crusty exterior that comes from the extra flour and a soft, slightly sweet inside.


Notes: