Oatmeal Soda Bread with Currants & Orange for St Patrick's Day
This is one my favorite recipes that I look forward to making at the bakeshops all year. It’s so hearty, a little sweet, a little savory. And warm out of the oven with salted butter, there is just really nothing better. I hope you make this at home for St Pat’s and beyond. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Yields 1, 8-inch round loaf
Juice and Zest from 1 large orange
1/4 cup currants
1 1/2 cups GF Oat Flour
1 1/2 cups GF Brown Rice Flour
3/4 cups GF Millet Flour (or Sorghum Flour)
1/4 cup GF Tapioca Starch
1 TB Baking Soda
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
2 1/4 cups Buttermilk, plus 2 TB
1 TB Fennel Seeds, for sprinkling
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. Zest and juice the orange into a small bowl. Heat the juice to just under boiling in the microwave. Add the currants and allow the currants to soften in the hot orange juice while you mix the bread dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix for about 2 minutes on low speed, just to combine. Add the 2 1/4 cups buttermilk all at once and mix on low speed until dough is evenly moistened, about 2 minutes more. Add the currant-orange juice mixture to the dough and mix just until well incorporated. Scoop the dough into your cake pan. Use the reserved 2 TB buttermilk and brush it all over the surface of the dough, to smooth it out and evenly press the into the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the fennel seeds.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center feels set when gently pressed with your fingers. It should feel solid in the center without a lot of ‘give’.
Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before slicing. This keeps well, wrapped tightly in plastic overnight. Slice and toast the next day. It is excellent served with butter and marmalade. Enjoy!
