Top of the morning to you! Our first St. Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh (home of the second biggest parade in the U.S.) and it's snowing and raining outside. I'm not nearly Irish enough to endure standing on a sidewalk for hours at a time in those conditions. So, this recipe is acting as a stand-in celebration. It's a classic Irish soda bread recipe with a twist. It was inspired by Nonnie's favorite Wolferman's english muffin flavor (cranberry citrus), and it ended up just as enjoyable! I reduced the orange juice on the stove so that it wouldn't add too much liquid to the recipe but still have all the flavor, and just added a bit more flour. It worked as planned, and both Jake and I loved it. If you need a last-minute recipe for your St. Patrick's Day breakfast tomorrow, get this in the oven!
Cranberry Citrus Soda Bread
1 orange (juice and zest) 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Zest the orange and set aside. Juice the orange into a small saucepan and put on medium heat. Let the juice simmer for about 5 minutes, until it has reduced by about half. Set aside to cool.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and dust some more four on top. Knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Source: Adapted from Ina Garten