Meet the Scolaro household’s new favorite thing.

We’re here to share it with you, kind of like an unofficial, should-be part of Oprah’s favorite things list.  It’s that good.

It’s become a frequent topic of phone conversations.
My mom’s breakfast last saturday of soda bread and eggs has become a reference for all foods that have “changed her life”.
I’ve seen recipes for irish soda bread all over, from magazines to the food network. It has even made appearances on the menus of many of my favorite bakeries. Somehow, though, I just wasn’t phased by its growing popularity until I saw I had leftover buttermilk in the fridge and finally caved.

I haven’t done much research on the different ways to make Irish Soda Bread, but this recipe was so easy to make and doesn’t require kneading. The bread kind of resembles a giant scone that isn’t nearly as buttery or heavy but has just as much flavor. The outside stays crusty and really almost convinces you that the inside can’t be that chewy and moist, and then you taste it and remember that it is.

Irish Soda Bread
from SimplyRecipes.com

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup raisins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

Using a pastry cutter or two knives (can also use your fingers), work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then stir in raisins.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir. Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead! Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so that it comes together. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.

Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet). Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X” shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the doughwhile it cooks. Transfer to oven and bake until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. (If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.) Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.

Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It’s easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Cool the handle with an ice cube, or put a pot holder over it.

Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly. Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. Best when eaten warm and just baked.