My Italian mother made this bread
every St Patrick's Day for my
Scotch/Irish father. It was delicious then and now. It takes some time to make
but it is delicious
Barmbrack
Irish-American Soda Bread with Currants and
Orange Zest
1 lb (3 cups) all-purpose
flour, plus 1 tbsp
5 oz (1 cup) whole
wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp cold unsalted
butter, diced
2 cups cold
buttermilk, shaken
1 large egg, lightly
beaten
Finely grated zest of
1 med orange
1 cup dried currants
or raisins
Position the rack in
the middle and preheat the oven to 375F. Generously butter a 10-inch cast-iron
skillet with 2- to 2 1/2-inch-high sides (you can also bake it on a baking
sheet, but it will flatten more).
In a bowl, whisk
together the 3 cups of all-purpose flour, wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, and
salt. Sprinkle the butter over the top and cut in with a pastry cutter or 2
knives until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
In another bowl or
container, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest. Add to the
dough, stirring with a wooden spoon just until well incorporated. Combine the
currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir into the dough. It will be
sticky.
Dump the dough onto a
well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf
into the prepared skillet and cut an "X" into the top of the bread
with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes
out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a wire rack
for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let cool on the rack. Serve
warm or at room temperature with plenty of unsalted butter. (Though I hear some
people eat this with cream cheese).
