Irish Soda Bread with a Citrus Twist

Irish Soda Bread with a Citrus Twist
From http://www.rightathome.com/view.aspx?pid=890

Traditionally served on St. Patrick's Day alongside corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread is great any time of the year. Enjoy this version toasted and served with jam for breakfast, or as a side for hearty soups and stews at lunch or dinner.


* Total Time : 1 hour 5 minutes
* Prep Time : 15 minutes
* Cook Time : 40 minutes
* Servings : 10

ingredients

* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1/4 cup golden raisins
* 1/4 cup dark raisins
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
* 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
* 1 egg, beaten

directions
step 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

step 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until evenly combined. Add the butter pieces. Using clean fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter pieces into the mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Then add in the walnuts, both types of raisins and the orange zest; mix to distribute evenly.

step 3 Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and the beaten egg. With your hands, knead the dough in the bowl until it just comes together and all ingredients are evenly combined. Form the dough into a round (see Chef’s Note) and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the round all over with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of buttermilk. Use a sharp knife to cut an "x" into the top of the round.

step 4 Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with a bit of jam or butter.

chef's notes
To form the dough into a round, gather it into a ball, place it in the center of the baking sheet, and press down to flatten the top slightly into a thick disk.

Zest is the grated peel of a citrus fruit. The fragrant oil in the zest adds flavor to your recipes. To grate orange zest, remove any stickers from your orange and then wash and dry it. Using a medium-fine kitchen grater, grate just the colored peel of the orange, using a bowl or piece of wax paper to catch the zest. Avoid grating the white pith of the orange because this part tastes bitter.