Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

· 4 cups all-purpose flour
· ¼ cup sugar
· 1 tbsp. baking powder
· 1 tsp. baking soda
· 1 tsp. salt
· 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
· 1 cup raisins or currants
· 1 egg
· 1 ¾ cups buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease large baking sheet. Set aside. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins or currants. Beat egg in medium blow using fork. Add buttermilk. Beat until well combined. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Sit r until mixture forms soft dough that clings together and can be shaped into a ball.

Turn dough out onto well-floured surface. Knead dough gently 10 to 12 times. Place dough on prepared baking sheet. Pat dough into 7-inch round. Score top of dough with tip of sharp knife, making an X about 4 inches long and ¼ inch deep.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack. Bread is best eaten the day it is made.