I did a small spread for my clients for St. Patrick's Day, featuring the usual suspect, Corned Beef. It was accompanied by Irish Cheddar Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Carrots. For our bread interest, I sent individual muffin size Irish Soda Bread for each plate.
Irish Soda Bread is a simple throw-together, a peasant bread, that uses baking soda and baking powder for its leavening. It can be done with either white flour or wheat, and I've done it both ways. The wheat is drier, by nature. So this year, I did it with regular all purpose flour, and it was quite moist and delicious. In fact, I had just these four left, at the end of the day. As of this morning, all four were gone! That, my friends, is a testament to their goodness!
Irish Soda Bread Muffins
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon vinegar in 1 scant cup of whole milk)
1 large egg
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
Mix all your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add all the rest. Stir to moisten well, but do not beat. Scoop into paper lined or sprayed muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes for regular sized muffins, or 25 to 27 minutes for jumbo muffins, like these. Yield 12 regular muffins or 6 jumbo size.
These are fabulous spread with butter! Irish butter is best, of course...but, when all you have is American butter...well, it'll do just fine! Hope everyone had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day! Happy Sunday!
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