Mom's Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup Currents (softened in warm sherry)
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Using solid shortening (Crisco), grease the surface of a small baking sheet. Set aside until bread is shaped. Assemble all the ingredients for the soda bread. (Make the bread the same day you plan to serve it).

Put flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a sifter; sift over a large bowl. Add softened butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add currents and toss thoroughly.

Pour buttermilk into the mixture all at once. Gently toss the mixture until all the ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. Using hands gently gather mixture together and press firmly into a ball.

Put dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth or board and knead gently with the palms of your hands until dough is smooth. (About 1 minute). Shape into a smooth round ball and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Using hands, flatten ball into a circle that is about 7 inches in diameter. The dough will be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Press a large floured knife across the center of the loaf and cut about half way through the dough. Repeat at right angle to divide the loaf into quarters. YOU DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LOAF!

Bake bread for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and sides with a wooden spoon.

Remove to a wire rack to cool. Brush the top with melted butter and later dust with flour.