Irish soda bread (thing)

The wonderful thing about Irish soda bread is that there are so many different recipes to choose from. Personally, I don't like recipes that call for raisins or nuts, soda bread is supposed to be simple. leighton's recipe is a fairly typical white flour recipe, so here are a couple of my favorites, one using wheat flour and the other containing oats.

Irish Whole-Wheat Soda Bread

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Combine and mix dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and mix. Knead for two to three minutes. Form into a round loaf and place in a buttered 8 inch cake pan. Traditionally a cross should be cut on top of the loaf at this point. Bake in a oven preheated to 375^o F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Another Irish Soda Bread Recipe

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup oatmeal soaked for 10 minutes in some of the milk (do not use instant oatmeal!)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder

Combine and mix flour, salt and baking powder. Add milk and milk-soaked oats and mix. Knead two to three minutes. Form into round loaf and place in buttered cake pan or on a buttered cookie sheet. Cut a cross on top if you like. Bake at 375^o F for one hour.