Celtic Soda Bread

I made bread last night.  I found a new recipe in a newsletters and I adapted it to fit my needs thus making a whole new recipe of my own.

The photo is the bread I made.  J just loves it.  Its great toasted with butter.

Now for the recipe.  I call it Celtic Soda Bread.

Celtic Soda Bread

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease and flour a loaf pan.



In a large bowl combine the following dry ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)

Mix well until the raisins and craisins are coated and separated as we'd rather there not be too many lumps of fruit together, however it does happen occasionally. 

In a separate bowl mix together with a wire whisk the following wet ingredients:
1 egg
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk   ***(buttermilk can be made using 1 1/2 cups regular milk plus the addition of 1 TBSP plus 2 tsp of white vinegar.  Its best to do this in a glass measuring cup and let it set a bit to curdle before adding to the other wet ingredients)

Make a well (hole) in the center of the dry ingredients in the large bowl.  Pour into the dry ingredients the wet ingredients.  Stir gently until well blended.   Pour into the greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 350 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) until golden brown.  Immediately turn out of loaf pan onto a wire rack and let cool.

Wonderful the next day for breakfast toasted with a bit of butter or jam.