IRISH WHISKEY SODA BREAD WITH IRISH WHISKEY BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Oven shelf should be just below the center of oven.
• Grease baking sheet, or use silpat liner, or greased parchment paper.Makes a 7" by 3" high round of bread.
• Soak the raisins in whiskey or water for 30 minutes. If using whiskey, drain and reserve the whiskey.You will have about 3 tblsp left.
• Cut the butter into small slices so that it begins to soften.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flours,sugar,baking soda,and salt.
• With fingertips rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the raisins.
• With a wooden spoon,stir in the buttermilk just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together.
• Empty dough onto counter and knead it lightly about 8 times until smooth but still a little sticky. If it sticks to the counter,use a bench scraper to gather it together. Avoid adding extra flour. Flour hands if absolutely necessary.
• Pat out dough into a 6 inch round and about 1 & 3/4 inches high. If it sticks flour it lightly at this stage.
• Place on baking sheet and score top 1/2" deep from top to bottom and side to side forming a cross.
• Bake the bread for 30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 190 degrees in the middle of loaf.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack covered with towel. Keep warm to serve.
• Irish Whiskey Butter.
• 3 tblsp whiskey.
• 1 tblsp sugar.
• 9 tblsp unsalted butter softened.
• Microwave whiskey and sugar until hot, about 20 seconds. Cool.
• Stir whiskey sugar mixture into softened butter until incorporated. It will be a.
• caramel brown color.
• Store at cool room temp up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
• This bread freezes well up to 1 month. Reheat at a 300 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes.