Festive Fruit Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm water ⓘ
- 3/4 cup golden raisins ⓘ
- 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates ⓘ
- 3/4 cup chopped dried Calimyrna figs ⓘ
- 4 cups all-purpose flour ⓘ
- 1/3 cup sugar ⓘ
- 2 teaspoons baking powder ⓘ
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ⓘ
- 3 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces ⓘ
- 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind ⓘ
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind ⓘ
- 1 large egg ⓘ
- Cooking spray
- 2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal ⓘ
- 2 teaspoons 1% low-fat milk ⓘ
Instructions
- Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through baking soda) in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (Flour mixture and butter can also be combined in a food processor; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.) Add reserved fruit; toss well to combine. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine the buttermilk, orange rind, lemon rind, and egg in a bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Let stand 2 minutes.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly for 1 minute with floured hands. Divide the dough in half; shape each half into an 8 x 4-inch oval loaf. Place the loaves on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 1 lengthwise cut 3/4-inch-deep across the top of each loaf using a sharp knife. Brush the loaves with 2 teaspoons milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° (do not remove the bread from oven); bake an additional 25 minutes or until loaves are browned on the bottom and sound hollow when tapped. Remove the loaves from pan, and cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
1140
kcal
57% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).