“Even though I don’t have any Irish heritage, I became an honorary “Irishman” when I married my husband twenty years ago.  One of the ways that we celebrate Irish ancestry is by making traditional Irish American foods on St. Patrick’s Day. One of our favorite recipes to make is Irish Soda Bread.  The recipe consists of simple ingredients, is easy to make and after baking, tastes delicious warm with a  spread of butter.  When my children were little they enjoyed kneading the dough and getting the sticky mixture on their hands. The recipe calls for raisins but since tastes differ in my family, I generally make one with raisins and one without raisins.  Personally, the raisins are a must and they add a little sweetness to the sugarless dough.  Recently, in my genealogical research, I discovered that my husband’s second great-grandfather immigrated from the county of Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. I can’t say for sure if his ancestors made Irish soda bread as we know it today, but certainly, they made bread to feed their families.  Every culture prepares some sort of dough to bake and share with those at the table. For me, making Irish soda bread is a great reminder to me that as humans we are more alike than different because there is a wonderful joy in sharing bread together with family and friends.”

Mrs. Kathryn Carroll

This St. Patrick’s Day, make Irish Soda Bread, a traditional Irish recipe, passed down from generations that created an everlasting legacy.

The recipe can be found below, provided by Mrs. Carroll.  

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cup unsifted flour

• ¾ tsp Salt

• 1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder

• ¼ tsp. Baking Soda

• 1 cup Buttermilk (Substitution for buttermilk: Measure one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup. Add in a scant cup of milk and fill to the 1 cup measurement line. Stir the mixture together and let sit for 5 minutes.

• 1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together first. Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients.

2. Lightly flour a board. Place the dough on the floured surface and knead for one minute.

3. Grease an 8 inch round pan. Shape dough into the pan. 

4. Cut a cross on top of the dough with a sharp knife. 

5. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. The bread is done when it makes a hollow sound.

Or try a minier recipe of Irish Soda Bread, supplied by Culinary Arts Teacher Ms. Jessica Bidwell! These adorable mini soda breads are perfect for this festive season. If you make any of the recipes, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, @thepirateseye. 

Mini Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir together. 

3. Add buttermilk and honey and mix with a large spoon until the dough comes together. 

4. Stir in dried fruit. The dough will be quite sticky.

5. Divide dough into 8 even pieces (scooping the dough out with a large, round spoon) and place onto a prepared baking sheet. 

6. Smooth tops with very lightly floured fingers, then slash an X into the top of each with a sharp knife.

7. Bake for about 12 minutes, until golden brown.

8. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before serving.