This recipe makes a loaf that is light, moist, and a little sweet. It's perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Yield: 2 loaves
Source: The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking-by Brother Rick Curry
Ingredients:
- 5 cups sifted all-purpose unbleached flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 lb butter
- 1 cup raisins, soaked for 15-20 minutes in warm water and drained
- 3 Tbsp caraway seeds
- 2 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease and flour two 9x5-inch bread pans.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Cut the butter into chunks. Mix in with a pastry cutter until it is crumbly and you can not see any bits of butter.
- Mix in the raisins and caraway seeds.
- Whisk the egg in a small dish. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour most of the buttermilk in, reserving a little to mix with the egg.
- Add the egg mixture in and stir everything until the liquid is fully incorporated. The dough will be thick, sticky, and should look a little chunky.
- Divide it evenly into the two pans.
- Bake the bread 1 hour in the oven preheated to 350 F. Look for a golden color and test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool in the pans for about five minutes and then transfer the bread to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Slice the bread when cool, or just barely warm, to serve. Store in gallon bags.