Irish Soda Bread

  • 1-1/3 c milk
  • 1/3 c apple-cider vinegar
  • 3 c unbleached flour, plus more for surface and dusting
  • 2-1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 c unprocessed wheat bran
  • 1/4 c caraway seeds
  • 1 c currants
  • Salted butter, preferably Irish, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Mix milk and vinegar in a small bowl, and let stand until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in unsalted butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add bran, caraway seeds, and currants stirring to distribute.

Pour milk mixture into flour mixture; stir until dough just holds together but is still sticky. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat and press the dough gently into a round, dome-shaped loaf, about 7 inches in diameter. Transfer to prepared sheet.

Lightly dust top of loaf with wheat flour. With a sharp knife, cut an “X” into the top, 3/4 inch deep. Bake, rotating halfway through, until loaf is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out dry, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Soda bread is best eaten the day it is made; serve with salted butter.

Serving Suggestions
The sweetness of Irish Soda bread pairs nicely with the sharpness of Irish cheddars