Soda Bread Biscuits

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F, and butter a standard muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, give the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt a strong whisk so everything is evenly combined.
3. Drop the butter into the flour bowl in tablespoon sized pieces. With clean fingers, rub and pinch the butter through the flour until the bowl looks like coarse meal. If you’re adding raisins, caraway seeds, or another mix-in, stir them in now.
4. Hollow out the middle of the flour mixture, then pour the buttermilk into that space. With a wooden spoon, draw the flour into the buttermilk gently, mixing only until the flour has been dampened.
5. Use your hands to gather the mixture into a loose, shaggy, slightly sticky dough ball. It should feel a little tacky; if it seems too dry, add a tablespoon more of buttermilk, and if it is too wet to handle, dust in a little more flour. Don’t over-mix. From here, move briskly, because once the buttermilk and baking soda meet, the leavening reaction is already getting going.
6. Pull the dough into 12 equal portions and set each one into a well of the muffin tin.
7. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-13 minutes, until the tops have browned nicely. Take the pan out and let the biscuits sit for a couple minutes, then move them from the muffin tin to a rack for a few minutes more. Serve with butter and jam.