Irish Soda Scones: A delicious St. Patrick's Day Surprise

When I lived in Berkeley, I loved St. Patrick's day at Cheeseboard bakery. They would make these great loaves of Irish soda bread that were better than I'd had anywhere else. Of course, they made authentic soda bread. Of course, most people find authentic Irish soda bread absolutely disgusting. It's normally dry, unsweetened and as dense as a brick. But I find that it goes wonderfully with tea. It's perfect for breakfast.

I was upset to find out that the Irish soda bread recipe was not in the Cheeseboard recipe book. Instead, they had an Irish soda scones recipe. It's different. It's lighter than a normal Irish soda bread and it's more tender due to the greater butter content. It still has a strong caraway flavor and is only sweetened by the raisins. But it was a great recipe and much more popular with everyone else than normal Irish soda bread. 


Best of all, it went great with a Guinness. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Cheeseboard Irish Soda Scones

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups AP flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp bakingpowder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp caraway
• 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Directions

1. Mix together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, oats and caraway in mixer. Add butter and mix for 4 minutes or until butter is the size of small peas
2. Add raisins and buttermilk. Mix until just combined and moistened. Let rest 10 minutes for oats to absorb liquid
3. Roll out  dough on floured surface to 1 inch thick. Fold in half and roll out in opposite direction 1 inch. Repeat 2 more times.
4. Cut resulting rectangle into 12 squares. Cut a defined cross into the top of the scones (about halfway down) going horizontal/vertical, NOT diagonal to the corners
5. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. These are sweetened by only the raisins, and a great with a cup of tea.

When I lived in Berkeley, I loved St. Patrick's day at Cheeseboard bakery. They would make these great loaves of Irish soda bread that were better than I'd had anywhere else. Of course, they made authentic soda bread. Of course, most people find authentic Irish soda bread absolutely disgusting. It's normally dry, unsweetened and as dense as a brick. But I find that it goes wonderfully with tea. It's perfect for breakfast.

I was upset to find out that the Irish soda bread recipe was not in the Cheeseboard recipe book. Instead, they had an Irish soda scones recipe. It's different. It's lighter than a normal Irish soda bread and it's more tender due to the greater butter content. It still has a strong caraway flavor and is only sweetened by the raisins. But it was a great recipe and much more popular with everyone else than normal Irish soda bread. 


Best of all, it went great with a Guinness. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Cheeseboard Irish Soda Scones

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups AP flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp bakingpowder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp caraway
• 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Directions

1. Mix together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, oats and caraway in mixer. Add butter and mix for 4 minutes or until butter is the size of small peas
2. Add raisins and buttermilk. Mix until just combined and moistened. Let rest 10 minutes for oats to absorb liquid
3. Roll out  dough on floured surface to 1 inch thick. Fold in half and roll out in opposite direction 1 inch. Repeat 2 more times.
4. Cut resulting rectangle into 12 squares. Cut a defined cross into the top of the scones (about halfway down) going horizontal/vertical, NOT diagonal to the corners
5. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. These are sweetened by only the raisins, and a great with a cup of tea.