Irish Soda Bread

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and raisins until combined. Grate butter over bowl and stir to coat butter pieces in flour. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, orange zest and honey until combined. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and knead with your hands until a dough forms, about 5 minutes.

Take dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it comes together and has smoothed out a bit. Shape dough into a ball and place it back into bowl it was in before. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400ºF and place a rack in centre of oven. Place a Dutch oven with the lid on that is at least 5 quarts in size in the oven. You may also use a pizza stone, but I have found the Dutch oven with a lid works the best.

Remove dough from refrigerator, uncover, and place on a piece of parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to score a 1-inch deep cross on top of dough.

Carefully remove hot Dutch oven from oven and remove lid. Very carefully, pick dough up by the parchment paper and lift into hot Dutch oven (parchment and all). Place hot lid back on pot and return to oven.

Bake for 25 minutes and then remove lid from Dutch oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until bread is golden brown on top and sides.

Remove from oven and carefully lift bread out of pot by the overhanging parchment paper and place on a rack to cool before slicing, about 1 hour.

Recipe from Adventures in Cooking.