Soda Bread

Makes 2 loaves or 16 rolls

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it lightly with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together into a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal.
Add the raisins, caraway seeds, and milk. Mix the dough until just combined; avoid over-mixing as this will cause the dough to toughen.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball. Form the dough into two equal loaves, or cut into 16 equal pieces to make rolls. Dust with flour and lightly score an “X” across the top of each roll or loaf with a sharp knife.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Alternately, you can bake whole loaves in cake pans or a cast-iron skillet for crisper exterior.
Bake the soda bread until it is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 8 to 10 minutes for rolls and 25 minutes for loaves. Wrap the bread in a tea towel directly out of the oven.
Cool the soda bread in the tea towel on a wire rack before serving. It can be held at room temperature for up to two days or frozen for up to four weeks.

CIA FOODIES

Makes 2 loaves or 16 rolls

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it lightly with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together into a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal.
Add the raisins, caraway seeds, and milk. Mix the dough until just combined; avoid over-mixing as this will cause the dough to toughen.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball. Form the dough into two equal loaves, or cut into 16 equal pieces to make rolls. Dust with flour and lightly score an “X” across the top of each roll or loaf with a sharp knife.
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Alternately, you can bake whole loaves in cake pans or a cast-iron skillet for crisper exterior.
Bake the soda bread until it is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 8 to 10 minutes for rolls and 25 minutes for loaves. Wrap the bread in a tea towel directly out of the oven.
Cool the soda bread in the tea towel on a wire rack before serving. It can be held at room temperature for up to two days or frozen for up to four weeks.