Irish Whiskey Soda Bread

Every year for St. Patrick's Day I make Irish Soda Bread. This is the only time of the year that I make it, and I'm not quite sure why because it is good (very good), and people love it. I have my own special recipe that gives mine a unique taste; it came about due to an error I made the first time I baked it. The original recipe calls for caraway seeds, as do pretty much all soda bread recipes. Honestly, I thought I had my hand on the caraway seed jar, but as it turned out, I didn't, and ended up using anise seed instead. What a wonderful difference! People would taste it and wonder why theirs wasn't as good. Another boost that I give my version is to soak the raisins in Irish whiskey to plump them up and inject a little flavor. Easy, delicious, and makes excellent toast the morning after.

Irish Whiskey Soda Bread

4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

½ tablespoon anise seeds

2/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

1-3/4 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Put raisins in a shallow bowl and cover with whiskey; set aside.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, anise seeds, and whiskey/raisin mixture. Add buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon just until the dough is moist, but still lumpy.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and gently knead 8 times to form a soft dough. Cut dough into two equal halves and form into balls. Pat each ball into a domed 6-inch round on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut a ½” deep “X” on top of each loaf and brush with melted butter.

Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.