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Irish Soda Bread (with Cranberries and Raisins)
Benchi

Irish Soda Bread (with Cranberries and Raisins)

This soft & sweet Irish Soda Bread has a scone-like texture created with the addition of butter and requires just 10 minutes of hands-on prep time. Beginner-friendly, this untraditional version is made with raisins, dried cranberries and brown sugar and is one of the easiest bread recipes you will ever make!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter
  • 1¼ cups buttermilk (see notes to make your own)
  • 1 egg (whisked into the buttermilk)
  • ½ cup raisins (cleaned and separated)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries (cleaned and separated)

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or box grater, cut or grate the cold butter into the flour then gently stir until distributed throughout.
  3. Make a well and pour in buttermilk and egg and stir or mix by hand just until the ingredients begin to come together. Fold in raisins and dried cranberries and keep turning the dough until it starts to look a little sticky and stringy.
  4. Pull dough out onto a floured surface and, using floured hands, fold, turn and shape it into a ball.
  5. Score the top of the loaf with an ‘X’ to allow even heat distribution, then place into baking dish or cast iron skillet and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and it sounds hollow when you knock on it. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack then slice once it’s cool enough to handle.