Irish Soda Bread

Ever since we returned from our trip to Ireland this summer, I have been dreaming of soda bread. I adapted this recipe from a soda bread recipe I found on epicurious.com. Slather slices with Irish butter or the highest-quality butter you can find to take it to a whole new level.

Ingredients

Butter for greasing

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

2 cups cold buttermilk

1 Tbsp. honey

All-purpose flour for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan.

Combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, flaxseed meal, salt, sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.

Add butter and toss in flour mixture to coat. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles small peas. Make a well in the center of mixture.

Combine buttermilk and honey. Pour buttermilk mixture into well and stir just until flour mixture is moistened.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes). Place dough into prepared pan. Flatten slightly and cut an "x" on the top with a sharp knife.

Bake bread on the center rack of the oven at 400°F for 35 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.