Irish Soda Bread

In honor of St. Patricks Day...I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes. I found this recipe several years ago in a random magazine (I think it was in Ladies Home Journal? Redbook?) and I have since made it numerous times. It is a no-fail, simple recipe. The ingredients are few...I keep everything on hand and just buy buttermilk when I am plan on making it.
I normally make two loaves at a time because it goes so fast and so I don't waste the buttermilk. It tastes like a very moist, yummy biscuit.

Irish Soda Bread

Cooking Spray
3 cups flour +1 tsp unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup raisins (I don't use)
1 tsp anise seeds (I don't use)
1 and 1/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, baking soda, sugar and salt; sift into large bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors fashion, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Stir in raisins and anise seeds (if using); toss until raisins are coated. Pour in buttermilk; stir with fork until dough comes together. Knead in bowl 5 times; turn out dough onto floured surface. With floured hands, knead 8 or 10 times. Shape dough into 6-in.-round loaf; transfer to prepared baking sheet.

3. Using small sieve, sift remaining 1 tsp flour over top of loaf. With floured serrated knife, using sawing motion, cut 1-in. deep by 4-in. long X across the top of loaf. Bake 45-50 minutes, until bread is golden and sounds hollow when top is tapped. Cool on rack.
Makes 12 servings.
Happy Baking....