Ma's Irish soda bread

Despite my Scottish heritage, I'm joining with others this week in feeling very Irish. For me, it doesn't come out with large quantities of green ale but with baked goods. For Muffin Wednesday, I made green Irish oatmeal muffins. And knowing that I would need something to share for our Thursday evening meal and The Office party, I e-mailed Ma for her Irish soda bread recipe. She gladly shared, and I came up with this:
Mine split open a bit too much, but that's just a lesson learned for me: Don't make the slits too deep next time. It tastes just like I remember hers tasting ... success! I read something online about baking it ahead, so I made them Wednesday night. They were terrific hot from the oven and terrific again this morning after time to sit. It was an easy recipe with few ingredients, though I had to get buttermilk, which I don't keep on hand.

4-4 1/4 c flour
1 t salt
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 c sugar (optional)
1/8 t ground cardamom or coriander (optional)
1/4 c firm butter or margarine
1 egg
1 3/4 c buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In large bowl, stir together 4 c flour, salt, baking powder and soda (and sugar and cardamom if used) until thoroughly blended.

3. Cut in butter with forks or pastry cutter until crumbly.

4. In separate bowl, beat egg lightly and mix with buttermilk; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Turn out onto floured board and knead until smooth (2-3 minutes).

5. Divide dough in half and shape into two smooth, round loaves; place each into a greased 8-inch cake pan and press to make dough fill pans. With knife, cut a 1/2-inch-deep "X" in the top of each loaf.

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until nicely browned.

------------

Ma said she uses the sugar and cardamom and sometimes adds a cup of currants. So I used sugar, too, but didn't have cardamom or currants... maybe next time. She also sometimes makes rounds on a cookie sheet. That's what I remember eating at her house, so that's what I did too

:)