By Kelly Bogard

I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend trying to decide what I wanted to use for the blog recipe this week. I knew I wanted to go with something special for St. Patrick’s Day, but then I was stumped. First, I thought about how it needed to be green. Then I decided that was over done, and I wanted to do something more authentic. Next, I thought about Corned Beef and Cabbage. But that didn’t sound too appealing, especially for the weekend. Finally, it hit me…breakfast! I need to do something for breakfast.

Whew! So I decided on a sweet Irish Soda Bread–a fresh, warm, dense bread filled with raisins and drizzled with a vanilla glaze. Sounds good, right?

For Glazed Irish Soda Bread, you will need…Irish Soda Bread-Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 4 tbsp. butter, divided in two and melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp. milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread that is best served warm. It is usually pretty bland and not normally sweet. However, I decided that I would kick it up by adding just enough sweetness to get your attention. This version of the bread is excellent with a pat of butter and would complement any meal, especially breakfast.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the raisins last and set the mixture aside.

Irish Soda Bread-Dry

Next, in a separate bowl, combine two tablespoons of melted butter, the beaten egg and buttermilk.

Irish Soda Bread-Wet

In the dry ingredients, create a well in the center of the bowl. Now you have somewhere to pour the wet ingredients. Go ahead and stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a spoon until combined.

Irish Soda Bread-Mixed

Move the dough to a floured surface in order to knead it into an even, round shape. Don’t knead it like regular dough, though. The less you knead it, the better it will turn out.

Irish Soda Bread-Shaped

Once you have the dough shaped, place it in a greased cast iron or enamel pan for baking.

Irish Soda Bread-Pan

Brush the top with the remaining butter and cut a cross into the top of the dough.

Irish Soda Bread-Buttered and Scored

Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, remove from the pan to cool completely.

Irish Soda Bread-Baked

Once cool, drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze consisting of one cup powdered sugar, one to two tablespoons milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Just mix the three ingredients together until smooth, and then pour over the bread. You can add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time, if your glaze is too thick.

Irish Soda Bread-Glaze

I hope this bread gives a little sweetness to your St. Patrick’s Day. May the luck of the Irish be with you and yours.

From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Glazed Irish Soda Bread

Summary: A sweetened version of an Irish classic

Irish Soda Bread-Final

Ingredients

Bread

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 4 tbsp. butter, divided in two and melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp. milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Mix together dry bread ingredients; set aside.
  • Combine wet bread ingredients in a separate bowl.
  • Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the well and stir until combined.
  • Place the mixed dough on a floured surface and knead just long enough to even the dough out.
  • Pat into a round shape and place in greased cast iron or enamel pan for baking.
  • Brush top with remaining butter.
  • Cut a cross into the top of the dough.
  • Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Combine the three ingredients for the glaze, adding additional milk if needed to thin.
  • Top with powdered sugar glaze and serve warm.

  

Cooking time (duration): 50 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 8-10

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