Eat |

 

Although I am not Irish, and have no Irish family, Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday I look forward to every year and no, it is not because of the green beer. I look forward to Saint Patrick’s Day because of one very fond childhood memory – Aunt Carol Murphy’s Irish Soda Bread with strawberry jam and fresh whipped cream.

As a young child living outside of New York City, in Spring Valley NY I had one Irish friend - Sean Murphy. The Murphy’s house was walking distance from my house and I spent a lot of time playing with Sean, his brother Kieran and his sister Deirdre. Sean’s aunt Carol lived across the street and one of my most vivid food memories as a child is of her giving us Irish soda bread with strawberry jam and whipped cream on Saint Patrick’s Day. I don’t know if Carol realized what a culinary masterpiece this is – it is the perfect balance of sweet, salty, bitter, chewy, creamy deliciousness! 

Recently (thanks to Facebook) I reconnected with Sean, who now lives in Ireland and owns an artisan ice cream company (Murphy’s Ice Cream), I asked him if he remembered the soda bread and if it was a one- time thing Carol did or a family tradition. Sean told me that he too remembered the soda bread with jam and that it was something Carol did every year but that for whatever reason the tradition had not been carried on in his family and maybe it was time he revisited it….maybe we’ll see a new ice cream flavor…

This year for Saint Patrick’s Day I would like to pass this tradition on to all of you and hope that not only will I be enjoying this treat but also Sean’s family and many others of you as well!

 

4.5 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 TBS Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 TBS sugar

4 TBS Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces

1 Cup Currants or raisins

2 tsp. Caraway seeds

2 Cups Buttermilk

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Using an electric stand mixer with a dough hook, mix all of the dry ingredients to combine.

2. Mix in butter until the pieces are no larger than the size of small peas.

3. Add the raisins/ currants and buttermilk, mix until ingredients form a dough.

4. Shape into one large or two small rounds

5. lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray and bake the bread until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean – approx. 25-30 minutes.

6. Let cool and serve with good quality strawberry Jam and freshly whipped lightly sweetened cream.

It is even better if you can find good local artisan jam and fresh cream from a local farm.

 

ENJOY!

Chef Alina Eisenhauer
Executive Chef
Sweet

305 Shrewsbury Street

Worcester, MA 01604 

 

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