Irish Soda Bread - Currants and Caraway Seeds

For me, this loaf of bread, baked by my mother every year (sent in the mail when I was in college) is the best thing about St. Patrick's Day.  I would make it myself, but my mom always beats me to it.

 I have no idea where this recipe came from.  My mom has made it for as long as I remember, her mom made it before that.  Maybe it goes all the way back to County Cork or Galway, but probably not - my family has been here for a long time.  No matter, it is my favorite breakfast ever.  I love how the currants are not so sweet as raisins, I love caraway seeds, I love how you just mix apple cider vinegar with milk so you don't have to buy buttermilk (I use this trick to avoid buying a carton of buttermilk every time I need it).  I hope you'll try it this year!

Irish Soda Bread
2 1/2 C flour
1t baking soda
1t baking powder
1/2t salt
2T sugar
1/2C butter, sliced
3/4 C currants (they come in the orange sunmaid box, right by the raisins)
3t Caraway Seeds
3T cider vinegar
3/4C milk

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, cut in butter with dough blender until the lumps of butter are incorporated.  Stir in currants and seeds.  Measure milk (I use a 1 Cup Pyrex measuring cup), add vinegar and stir a little. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in milk/vinegar all at once, stir with a fork, gradually adding dry ingredients, until smooth.  Turn out on the counter and knead gently about 8-10 times.  Shape into a ball.  Put in a greased pie pan. Cut an x across the middle of the ball.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 and cook for 30 minutes more.  Cool about 1 hour before serving.