Irish Soda Bread Muffins

with Simply Creative Chef Rob Scott

 

Ingredients:

 

• Softened butter for the muffin cups

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

• ½ cup raisins

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

• 1 cup buttermilk

 

Directions:

 

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and or heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter ten 3-by-1 ½ inch muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces. Add the raisins and the caraway, if using, and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Stir in the buttermilk and mix just until combine into a stiff dough.

3. Using 1/3- cup food portion scoop, spoon the dough into the muffin cups. Using a knife put an X in the top of each muffin.

4. Bake until the muffin tops are golden brown and spring back when pressed with a fingertip, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

 

*Makes 10 muffins*