Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups raisins
* 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
* 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch round cast iron skillet or a 9 inch round baking or cake pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour (reserving 1 tablespoon), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds. In a small bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Stir the liquid mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 12 strokes. Dough will be sticky. Place the dough in the prepared skillet or pan and pat down. Cut a 4x3/4 inch deep slit in the top of the bread. Dust with reserved flour
3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack.

Irish Soda Bread Scones

Irish Soda Bread Scones

Ingredients:
3 Cups of Flour
¼ Cup of Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
1 Cup of Raisins
1 ½ Cups of Buttermilk
10x Confectioners Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of electric mixer, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Add butter to flour mixture and mix for 2 minutes, or until butter is the size of small peas and is well incorporated into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Mix. Then add buttermilk. Continue mixing about 1 minute. (if you don’t have an electric mixer and are doing this by hand, turn onto a floured board and knead a minute).
Using a large spoon, drop mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, or until brown and crusty. Makes about 1 dozen Scones. Sprinkle with 10x confectioners powdered sugar when cooled.
This is a wonderful treat to serve your guests for part of a breakfast or brunch meal…looks fancy when piled high on a plate that is lined with paper doilies! ;)