Good Eating Monday: Irish Soda Bread!

Good Eating Mondays are back!

 Frankly, I just ran out of recipes to post, so I took a few months off to try some and build up fresh bunch to share! I'm all ready to go!

Today's Good Eating recipe I just love is: Irish Soda Bread!

This super easy bread is a classic for sandwiches or serving with soups! Only 4 ingredients (or 6 if you want to add a little sugar and raisins!)

It makes a hearty bread that cuts into thick slices and makes excellent garlic toast!  I've also used it for grilled cheese and it's good for that, too!

Easy. Just make and bake.

Baking it round with a cross cut in top is the tradition of Southern Ireland.

This recipe comes from Pinterest; the photo is of my own bread cooked just this past Sunday to go with soup.

I've made it twice so far. Faster then messing with biscuits.
Note: For best results use slightly less then 4 cups flour and a scant bit more milk. The end dough shouldn't be too dry, so it won't pick up all the flour OR too gummy. 

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cup Buttermilk
(Or if don't have Buttermilk: combine 1 3/4 cup whole or 2% milk with 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar in glass measuring cup and microwave 30 seconds.)

Optional Additions:

1 Tablespoon granulated Sugar

3/4 cup Raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and oil spray or flour a 9 inch round cake pan. (If you want the traditional shape.You'll need 2 round cake pans as you'll be using one as a cover.)
[For a regular loaf shape, I've also just baked mine in a 5 x 7 bread pan by just shaping the dough into a flattened oblong in a loaf pan and baking it just 30 minutes. As a loaf in a loaf pan, it doesn't need to be covered. It's the height of the sides the makes the difference.]

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, then gradually add milk, stirring until it becomes a large ball and won't stir anymore. I didn't find all the flour got picked up by the dough, so I started kneading and folding it the bowl until all the flour was picked up and it was nice round dough ball.

Shape into a flattened round shape and put in cake pan, pressing it flatter so it's edges get closer to sides of pan (but don't have to touch)

Cut a 1/4 inch deep cross in the dough on top.

Place a second cake pan over top, then put bread in oven.

Bake 30 minutes covered with the 2nd cake pan, then remove the covering pan and bake an additional 10 minutes to brown top.

Remove from oven to cooling rack. Let cool 10 minutes, then turn out and cook on rack.

To serve:
 Cut as desired and use for sandwiches, grilled cheese, top with jam, use for garlic bread or just serve plain for sopping up soup or gravy.