With St. Patrick’s Day closing in, I started to think how much I love Irish Soda Bread. Then I started thinking of my Mom’s delicious scones. Why not make a scone that has the texture of scones but the flavor of Irish Soda bread? Here goes…
Irish soda bread traditionally has buttermilk in it. Not that “make at home” version that you add vinegar to milk. Traditional thick, buttermilk. You need it to make really good Irish Soda bread.
I love my My Mom’s scones. I love the texture, taste and everything about them. But her recipe has sour cream in it, as do many. Irish soda bread has buttermilk in it. So, what to do? Use cream or sour cream as most scones do, or buttermilk as Irish soda bread does?
I decided to try with Buttermilk. After all, I have to start somewhere and it’s only ingredients, right? Knowing that baking soda gives a more aggressive rise, coupled with the buttermilk, I was shying away from using baking soda. So what about baking powder?
The basic difference between this recipe and Mom’s scones is a hint less sugar. Instead of the baking soda and baking powder in Mom’s recipe, this recipe uses just baking powder. And instead of the egg and sour cream in Mom’s scones, this recipe uses the buttermilk, more commonly found in Irish Soda Bread. 
In recipes like scones, I always use the best butter I can find. I usually look for Vermont Creamery Cultured butter or Kerrygold. I prefer Vermont Creamery though. They sell it in my local Walmart believe it or not. Cultured butter is good for any recipe using butter as one of the main ingredients (scones, shortbread, biscuits or pie dough). Don’t shortcut it. Vermont Creamery also makes delicious creme fraiche, mascarpone and fresh cheeses.
Make sure you use fresh Caraway seeds! Not the seeds you used last year for Irish Soda Bread! Even though I love the flavor of Caraway, I don’t use it very often. So more get thrown away than used. But it is imperative you use fresh seeds. 
What are Caraway seeds?
This has come directly from the Masterclass website of which I am a member.
“Caraway seeds are the dried fruit, or achenes, of the caraway plant. Caraway (Carum carvi) belongs to the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family—aromatic flowering plants commonly referred to as the celery, parsley, or carrot family. Also known as Meridian Fennel or Persian Cumin, caraway is native to Eastern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Western Asia”.
“Humans have been harvesting and using caraway for its culinary and medicinal properties since the Neolithic period. Caraway seeds are not actually seeds: each fruit contains a single seed. Typically, people harvest and dry caraway seeds, then either use them whole or ground into a powder”.
It’s flavor has a nutty, bittersweet sharpness with a hint of citrus, pepper, and anise (mild licorice).
Caraway seeds come in whole and ground. If you done want to eat seeds, you can get the same flavor from ground as you do from the whole seeds. Or, you can add the seeds, and if you want a boost of flavor without adding more seeds add a little ground Caraway to your recipe. 
Whole Caraway Seeds
Ground Caraway Seeds
These scones are super easy to make:
Mix all dry ingredients.
Grate butter into dry mixture. Mix into dry ingredients with your hands until the size of peas. 
Add Caraway seeds and raisins. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Fold buttermilk into the dry/butter mixture. 
Knead a few times on floured board or counter. Form into a circle about 1″ thick.
Cut into 8 triangles.
Place in freezer for 15 minutes. 
Brush chilled scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. 
Bake 20 minutes or so at 425 degrees F, or until tops are browned. 
What’s an easy way to incorporate the butter into the dry mixture? 
Microplane Gourmet Series Ultra Coarse Extra Wide Stainless Steel Cheese Grater
The results of these scones is in a word…perfection! This recipe brings it all home. Tender scones, perfectly crispy on the top. with a perfect balance of flavor. At first bite, I thought that the caraway flavor was a bit shy. Don’t judge immediately. The flavor comes to the front after you have eaten a few bites.
At St. Patrick’s time or anytime, try these scones. They keep well in a covered container. Although I don’t think you will have to worry about them staying in the container very long….
Irish Soda Bread Scones
Description
Delicious! The taste of Irish Soda Bread with the tenderness of scones.
Ingredients
2–1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
8 Tbsp really good cultured salted butter, ice cold or frozen and shredded on a large hole shredder
2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp ground caraway seeds (optional)
1/2 c. light raisins
1/2 c. dark raisins
3/4 c. buttermilk, cold
1 Tbsp buttermilk, cols (to brush the tops of scones before baking)
1–1/2 tsp granulated sugar (to sprinkle the tops of the scones before baking)
Instructions
Whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Working quickly, grate the cold or frozen butter into the bowl with dry ingredients (I place a flat large hole grater over the top of the bowl and grate the butter into the dry mixture). Using plastic food gloves, mix the butter into the dry ingredients to incorporate until the butter is the size of peas.
Add the caraway seeds and ground caraway seeds (if using) and raisins, then place the bowl into the refrigerator for 15 minutes. While that chills, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take bowl out of the refrigerator and fold in 3/4 cup buttermilk with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. The dough may seem somewhat dry. Lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead a few times until it comes together, then shape into a circle about 1-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 scones.
Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425°F.
Brush the chilled scones with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden on top. Serve warm.
Notes
The ground caraway seeds give this recipe and extra boost of flavor. But that is a matter of taste. It is better to make the recipe as is without the ground caraway, and judge if you think you need it.
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