Irish Soda Bread

With the the start March, I've found many cooking magazines on the shelves tailoring their recipes towards the typical March fare: corned beef, mint flavored desserts and breads like Irish soda bread.  I've made soda bread several times before with disappointing results.  They always seem to turn out dry and some-what acidic, probably from the pronounced baking soda in the recipes. I recently decided to make use of these March themed recipes and make my family a Guinness beef stew one night. I thought an Irish soda bread would go nicely with it. This recipe comes from Cook's Country. I have generally had good luck with their recipes, so I thought I would give it a try.  I was not disappointed this time!  My family ate almost the entire loaf and commented on it's moistness and whole grain flavor.

Irish Soda Bread
Serves: 6-8

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
3 Tbs unsalted butter, melted


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Get a baking sheet ready with either parchment paper or slightly greased with cooking spray.  Whisk dry ingredients (flour through baking soda) together  in a medium bowl. 

In a measuring cup, measure out buttermilk and add in 2 Tbs of the melted butter, whisk to combine. (We're saving the additional 1 Tbs of butter for the end).  Don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled.  Mine did and it turned out fine.  Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients.  Stir until mixture just comes together.  Over mixing the dough can make the bread tough.  Once the dough has come together, turn it out on a lightly floured surface.  Knead bread about 8 turns, or until mixture has come together and isn't too sticky.  Form dough into a round ball and place on prepared baking sheet. Make a shallow (about 1/4 inch) cut in the shape of a cross on the top of the loaf.  Bake for 50-55 minutes, until center of loaf comes to about 195 degrees.  At 195 degrees, a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.  I have an oven safe thermometer which I used to gauge the temperature.  Mine hit 195 degrees at about 55 minutes.  Once the bread is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and brush on the final 1 Tbs melted butter, with a pastry brush.  Let loaf cool on a wire cooling rack.  I cut out wedges and served with butter - delicious! Enjoy!

(shot before baking)

xoxo Melissa