Traditional Irish Soda Bread
This is bread born of necessity, intended to be made when time is short and supplies are limited. It is a dense, honest loaf that relies on the speed of the oven to gain its height.
Handle the dough as little as possible.
The chemical reaction begins the moment the buttermilk touches the soda, so have your oven preheated and your tin ready before you start mixing.
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife
- Wire cooling rack
What goes in.
- 450gall-purpose flour
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspsalt
- 350-400mlbuttermilk
Cutting the sign
Cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf before baking. This allows the heat to reach the center and ensures the bread expands evenly without cracking in random spots.
The method.
Prep the oven
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Dust a flat baking sheet lightly with flour.
Mix dry
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Use your fingers to ensure the soda is fully dispersed.
Add the liquid
Make a well in the center and pour in most of the buttermilk. Use one hand like a claw to pull the flour into the liquid.
Form the loaf
The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Tip it onto a floured surface, bring it together into a round disc, and move it to the baking sheet.
Score
Cut a deep cross across the top, nearly to the base of the loaf.
Bake
Bake for 30 minutes. The loaf is ready when the bottom sounds hollow when tapped and the crust is golden-brown.
Other turns to take.
Brown Soda Bread
Replace half the white flour with coarse wholemeal flour for a nuttier, heavier texture.
Currant Loaf
Add 50g of dried currants and a tablespoon of sugar to the dry mix for a subtly sweet version.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your dough feels too dry, add the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon at a time; it should never be stiff.
Do not use a loaf tin; this bread prefers the open air of a flat baking sheet to develop a proper crust.
Cool the bread on a rack immediately to keep the crust from softening due to steam.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
No. The acid in the buttermilk is strictly required to react with the baking soda; without it, the bread will not rise and will taste metallic.
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