Irish Soda Bread

Serve this biscuit-like bread on St. Patrick’s Day or any cool day with a big bowl of hot soup or stew.

Ingredients

Yields 1 (8" or 9") round loaf

Brown rice flour, for sprinkling

11⁄2 cups sorghum flour

1⁄2 cup arrowroot or tapioca starch

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

11⁄2 teaspoons xanthan gum

6 tablespoons cold butter or Spectrum Palm Shortening

3⁄4 cup buttermilk or non-dairy milk mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

2 large eggs

1 cup currants or raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle with brown rice flour. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine sorghum flour, arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Pulse to combine ingredients. (If you don’t have a food processor, combine all dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk together well.)
3. Add the butter or shortening and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Or, use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, working quickly because you want the butter to stay cold.
4. Add the buttermilk and eggs, and run the food processor until the dough comes together in a sticky ball. (Alternately, you can use a wooden spoon and stir until the dough comes together.) Stir in the raisins or currants.
5. Turn dough out onto baking sheet and flour your hands with more brown rice flour. Working quickly, pat the dough down into a large 8" or 9" circle. With a sharp knife, cut an “X” about 1⁄4" deep into the center of the loaf. Gently brush the top of the loaf with additional buttermilk or non-dairy milk.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden-brown and crispy on top. Allow to cool for 25–30 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing into 8 triangles and serving. Store any remaining bread in an airtight container on the counter for 2–3 days.