IRISH SODA BREAD

6 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375

Add all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.

Pour all of the buttermilk into the bowl at once and stir. Stir only until the dough barely holds together. I mean barely! Do this quickly too!

Divide the dough into two portions. Shape each quickly into a round. Quickly!

Cut a cross 2/3 down into the top of each loaf so that you can see the cut. The loaf should come apart about 1/2 inch.

Paint the loaf over with buttermilk being sure to get the bottom of the cross cut wet with it. Give the surface of the loaf a bit of texture by cutting into it with a knife or fork if it is too round and smooth.

Let loaves rest for about ten minutes.

Put in the oven. The baking takes about 30-40 minutes.

The loaf is done when the buttermilk in the bottom of the cross is dry to the touch.

Do not handle or cut hot soda bread! Let it cool down on a rack if possible.