Irish Soda Bread

Slice of Irish soda bread pictured with corned beef and cabbage

I got this recipe from my friend Anne when it was posted online at Helium.com. It's so easy to make! Hubby and I especially like the brown bread version.

3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
10 oz (1 1/4 cups) buttermilk or soured milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet or cover with parchment. Combine flour, soda and salt. Stir well and make sure there are no lumps. Add the buttermilk or soured milk and stir to for a sticky dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface - just a minute or so. Shape into a flat disc. Set onto baking sheet and score the top with a large X. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned nicely and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom.

If you add raisins or sultanas to it, it's called Spotted Dog, or Spotted Dick; not to be confused with the suet pudding with the same name. If you use "whole meal" flour, aka whole wheat flour, it's then called Brown Bread.

I'm not sure how many servings Anne intended for it to be, but I got 12-18 slices.