Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted and cooled butter
• 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons buttermilk, additional
• 1 cup raisins, optional

Instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add cooled butter and buttermilk and mix well.
2. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface (sprinkling dough with additional flour if too sticky to handle). Knead for 2 minutes, until dough is firm.
3. Shape into 2 round loaves. (If making one loaf a raisin bread, add the 1 cup of raisins to one loaf now.) Rub each loaf with 2 teaspoons buttermilk, then sprinkle each lightly with flour. Cut an X into the top of each loaf with a knife.
4. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, and floured.
5. Bake at 375 degrees oven for 1 hour, or until a deep, golden
6. brown color.