Soaked Irish Soda Bread

We have used this recipe with much success over the last few years. It is equally as delicious as the non soaked recipe I have used since well....forever.
It is generally reserved for St Patrick and St Brigid Feast Days but is a special occasion food for us as well

 Ingredients-

5 1/2 cups spelt or Kumut flour ( the Kumut  is more like a wholemeal flour compared to the white spelt we usually use)

2 cups  buttermilk

Port

1 cup dried currants and soak in Port

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp Celtic sea salt 

Method:

Put five and one-half cups spelt or Kumut flour in a bowl, then stir two cups fresh buttermilk into the flour. Combine the flour and buttermilk well until the two are thoroughly mixed together to form a soft, shaggy dough.

Cover well and tightly, allowing the dough to sit at room temperature overnight or up to eighteen hours – a process referred to as “soaking.”

In a separate bowl or small container, pour out 2 cups dried currants then pour enough port over the currants and or sultanas to cover them. If you do not have whiskey on hand, or do not wish to use it, cover the currants with filtered water brought to room temperature.

Allow the currants and or sultanas to soak in the port for the same amount of time you allow the flour to soak in buttermilk – overnight to eighteen hours.

The next day, after the dough and currants have sufficiently soaked overnight or up to eighteen hours, strain the currants from the whiskey reserving the whiskey for another use as you see fit. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius 

While the oven preheats, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead  the whiskey-soaked currants, one teaspoon baking soda and one teaspoon celtic sea salt into the dough. Flour your hands, as needed, and shape the dough into a nice, full and round ball.

Cut a deep cross into the top of the dough. When ready place in and bake for twenty-five to thirty minutes.

After the soda bread has baked for 30 mins reduce the heat  150  and continue to bake for another fifteen to twenty minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool thoroughly before serving.

Or if like us you like it hot and smothered with butter just eat it now.

Blessings to you and your homes,
 
Linked to Wise Woman Link up
Linked to The Art of Homemaking Mondays