Orange County Irish Soda Bread

• 4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour; plus additional flour for sprinkling onto dough
• 1/2 c Toasted wheat germ
• 2 ts Baking soda
• 1 1/2 ts Salt
• 1/2 c (1 stick) cold; unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tb Caraway seeds
• Optional: 3/4 cup currants
• 1 3/4 c Low-fat cultured buttermilk; (up to 2)

Instructions

1. 1

   Notes: From Orange County Register Preliminaries: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. 2

   Sprinkle a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan lightly with flour.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, stir flour, wheat germ, baking soda and salt.

4. 4

   Add butter and toss to coat with flour.

5. 5

   With fingertips, blend butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.

6. 6

   Add caraway seeds (and currants, if using); stir to combine.

7. 7

   Stir in 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, adding more if necessary to moisten dough evenly (do not overwork dough).

8. 8

   On a floured surface, knead dough with floured hands 1-2 minutes, sprinkling with some additional flour to prevent sticking.

9. 9

   Divide dough in half and on baking sheet pat dough out into two 5-inch rounds.

10. 10

    Sprinkle rounds lightly with flour and spread out dough with fingers.

11. 11

    With a sharp knife, cut a shadow X on top of each round.

12. 12

    Bake bread in middle of oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

13. 13

    To test for doneness, tap on bottom of loaf; it should sound hollow.

14. 14

    Cool on rack.

15. 15

    Yield: 2 loaves (about 24-28 slices)