Soda Bread (irish Whiskey Soda)

Total Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 cups flour, all purpose
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter, chilled
• 1 cup raisins (optional) or 1 cup currants (optional)
• 1/2 cup honey, liquid
• 1/4 cup irish whiskey or 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons irish whiskey
• 2 teaspoons milk

Recipe

• 1 bread: in large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.
• 2 with pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• 3 stir in raisins or currants (if using).
• 4 in separate bowl, combine buttermilk, honey and whisky.
• 5 add all at once to dry ingredients; stir just until no dry spots remain.
• 6 turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.
• 7 knead lightly 1 minute (too much handling will toughen loaves, while too little will inhibit rising.) divide dough in half and shape each half into an 8 in (20 cm) round.
• 8 place in two greased 8 in (1.2 l) round cake pans.
• 9 with floured knife, cut a cross 1/2 in deep in each loaf.
• 10 glaze: in small bowl, combine whisky and milk.
• 11 brush loaves with glaze.
• 12 bake in 350f (180c) oven 35 to 40 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottoms.
• 13 remove from pans; let cool on wire racks.
• 14 cut into wedges.