Irish Soda Bread

     With Raisins, Golden Raisins and Orange Zest

The Gourmet Goddess has made an amped up version of Irish Soda Bread. It boasts of added flavor with a combination of raisins and grated orange rind, and is enhanced with a delicious vanilla icing.  Serve it plain or add butter and marmalade for an over the rainbow experience.

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

4 cups of All Purpose Flour plus extra for tossing raisins and dusting pastry board

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

5 tablespoons Granulated Sugar

1 Large Egg at room temperature lightly whisked

½ cup (1 stick) Butter chilled and cubed

1 ¾ cup Whole Milk

1 ¾ tablespoons White Vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons Fresh Orange Zest about 1 navel orange

¾ cup Raisins

1/3 cup Yellow Raisins

Icing Ingredients

2 ¼ cups Powdered Sugar

¼ teaspoon Salt

¾ teaspoon Light Corn Syrup

½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

3 ounces Whole Milk                    

Irish Soda Bread Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add white vinegar to milk.  Set aside.

Grate orange rind, making sure not to grate pith.

Measure out raisins and yellow raisins and toss with about ¾ tablespoon of the extra flour.         

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar.

Add cubed butter into mixture and using the paddle attachment, turn on the very lowest setting until butter and flour mixture form very small coarse crumbs.

Mix milk and vinegar mixture and combine with egg and orange rind. 

Add to flour until dough comes together and add in raisins.

Turn out dough onto well-floured board.

Dust your hands with flour (this dough is supposed to be very moist) and knead dough until you are able to keep a round shape.  You may have to dust your hands frequently.

Place onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Dip the back of a large knife into flour and then press a cross into dough without cutting.

Place in the oven for approximately 30- 35 minutes as bottom becomes slightly golden. Do not overbake, Irish Soda bread bakes quickly.

Let cool five minutes and place dough on a wire rack.

Frost when fully cool.

Icing Instructions

Mix Confectioners, sugar, salt and vanilla. 

Slowly add milk until desired consistency is achieved.  Do not make icing too thin. 

Drizzle icing over bread.  It helps to use a large Pyrex measuring cup with a pour spout and slowly move back and forth over the bread.

Serve the first day for optimum freshness.  Bread may be stored for 4 days in a plastic container.