Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with ‘spotted dog’ Irish soda bread
In this healthy whole-wheat Irish soda bread recipe, the addition of fruit and caraway seeds is often referred to as “spotted dog,” but you can omit them if you prefer a more traditional Irish soda bread. Baked in a skillet, this crowd-pleasing bread is delicious eaten warm with a pat of butter.
Makes: 12 servings
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 ½ cups white whole-wheat flour
½ cup currants
½ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ¼ cups buttermilk
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Warm a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add butter, swirling to coat the bottom and sides.
3. Combine flour, currants, raisins, caraway seeds, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add buttermilk, stirring just until the flour is fully incorporated. Do not overmix. The dough should be sticky and a little shaggy.
4. Transfer dough to prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly. It’s OK if it doesn’t reach all the way to the sides. Use a sharp knife to score a deep X in top of loaf.
5. Bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Recipe nutrition per serving: 214 calories, total fat: 2 g, saturated fat: 1 g, cholesterol: 4 mg, carbohydrates: 45 g, fiber: 5 g, total sugars: 10 g, protein: 8 g, sodium: 354 mg, potassium: 235 mg, iron: 6 mg, folate: 3 mcg, calcium: 66 mg, vitamin A: 58 IU, vitamin C: 1 mg