Irish-Inspired Soda Bread


I suspect that many of you may still have some of the whole-wheat pastry flour, if not dried cranberries, hanging around from previous weeks. With all of the modifications, this bread may be more appropriately named Vermont Soda Bread. It would be perfect served with Corned Beef and Cabbage. It is also delicious, fresh from the oven, served with butter. Best eaten the same day as you bake it, it can be wrapped it tightly in plastic and served a second day.

4 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 TB (1/2 stick) cold butter
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 1/2 cups milk, clabbered* with 4 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, until it resembles coarse crumbs; stir in the dried fruit. Whisk the clabbered milk with the eggs and syrup, then add to the flour mixture. Stir the mixture until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Halve the dough, with floured hands shape each half into a round loaf, and transfer the loaves to prepared baking sheet. Bake the loaves in the middle of a preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer the loaves to racks and let them cool.

*This is an excellent substitute in recipes calling for buttermilk. Stir vinegar into milk and let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before using in recipe.

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