Dark Irish Soda Bread

This recipe is from one of my favorite restaurants, Colonial Rose Inn. Chef Jeff Rose bakes this bread every day and it is served with each entree. At one time the recipe was posted on his website. This is a sweeter soda bread because it uses brown sugar, and I like the texture the whole wheat flour gives it. This is wonderful bread served with a honey butter.

Dark Irish Soda Bread

Recipe by: Jeff Rose, Colonial Rose Inn

Ingredients
3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 TBS Brown Sugar, packed
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 TBS Baking Powder
2 1/4 Cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400.
Add all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well, being careful to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Pour all of the buttermilk into bowl and stir, using a wooden spoon, just until a soft dough is formed. Do not try to make it smooth at this point. Pour contents of bowl onto a plastic counter and kneed for a minute or so until everything comes together.

Divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a round loaf, pressing the top down a bit to just barely flatten it. Place the loaves on a large un-greased baking sheet (use nonstick or parchment paper--not wax, if you'd like). Sprinkle some additional white flour on top of each loaf and, using a sharp paring knife, make the sign of the Cross in slashes on the top of each loaf.

Allow loaves to rest 10 minutes and then bake on the middle rack of oven for 35-40 minutes (don't over-brown), or until lightly browned and crunchy. Cool on racks.

Servings: 2 loaves