recipe: irish soda bread biscuits
I must confess that I OBSESSIVELY stressed over what recipes to try for tomorrow’s Irish holiday. Hours were spent scouring the web, and I promise that I left no recipe archive unturned. My ambitions were high, but I comically found myself SO tired after all the hours spent searching for the perfect recipe.
But I rallied.
I spent a few hours last Saturday making my very first Shepherd’s Pie…but with a twist. The meat was chicken, and the recipe was gluten free (I wanted to give myself a challenge). But in the end, the dish turned out extremely delicious yet incredibly lacking in photogenic qualities. womp. womp.
Not to be defeated, off I set to find ANOTHER recipe. This time I was looking for a quick yet still challenging gem. One small search later, and I knew I had a winner. A modern twist on an Irish tradition. Simple instructions. Fool proof. Hopefully photogenic…
Meet my Irish Soda Bread Biscuits. Sweeter than traditional soda breads, prepared in small portioned off sizes, and filled full of yummy ingredients. Prep time was well under 10 minutes, and you only have to bake for 12 minutes! I promise, promise, PROMISE that you will love these yummy bites!
Irish Soda Bread Biscuits (print recipe)
Makes 12 biscuits - Originally from Simply Recipes
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter @ room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter your muffin pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. Next, cut the butter into small pieces (about 1/4 inch squares) and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, gently begin cutting the bread into the dry ingredients(use your fingers to mash the butter into the flour mixture). Continue until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
4. Add raisins, lemon zest and caraway seeds.
5. Using a wooden spoon, create a well in the center of your flour. Add the buttermilk to the well. Mix slowly, folding the liquid into the flour until the mixture is moist. If your mixture is too dry, add more buttermilk. Too wet, add more flour. The key here is not to overmix!
6. Break of 12 equal portions of the dough and place them in your muffin tin. Bake for 12 minutes or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for several minutes. Remove from muffin pan and cool for a few more minutes.
The best part about this recipe is its flexibility! To remove the sweetness, use less sugar. Throw your favorite nut and/or dried fruit into the combo for a unique flavor. Serve with jam, butter, or both! The combinations are endless.
I can’t wait to try this simple quick bread again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
