Traditional Irish Soda Bread
This is a bread born of necessity and iron pots. It requires no kneading and no rising time, making it the most reliable loaf to pull together when the pantry is low and time is tight.
Mind the texture of your dough
The goal is a shaggy, barely cohesive mass. If you overwork the flour, the gluten develops and turns the finished loaf tough rather than tender.
- large mixing bowl
- baking sheet or heavy cast-iron skillet
- serrated knife
- wire cooling rack
What goes in.
- 4 cupsall-purpose or cake flour
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspsalt
- 1.75 cupsbuttermilk
Score deep to the bottom
Cut a deep cross into the top of the dough. This allows the heat to reach the center of the dense mass quickly and gives the bread room to expand as it bakes.
The method.
Preheat and prep
Heat your oven to 425°F. Dust a baking sheet or skillet with a light coating of flour.
Combine dry
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in your bowl until evenly distributed.
Form the dough
Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Use your hand like a claw to mix the liquid into the flour just until the dry spots disappear. It should look ragged.
Shape
Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Gently pat it into a round disc, about 1.5 inches thick. Transfer it to your baking surface.
Score
Using a serrated knife, cut a deep cross across the top of the loaf. This serves both to help the bake and to let the fairies out, as the old saying goes.
Bake
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The loaf is done when the top is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles.
Other turns to take.
Brown Soda Bread
Replace one half of the white flour with stone-ground whole wheat flour for a nuttier, denser loaf.
Currant Bread
Fold in a half-cup of dried currants and a tablespoon of sugar to the dry mix for a sweeter, tea-time version.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you don't have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for ten minutes before using.
Do not use a rolling pin. Shape the dough entirely with your hands to keep the crumb airy.
Let the bread cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes; slicing it too early results in a gummy texture.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
No. Baking soda requires the acid in the buttermilk to activate. Baking powder is already a complete leavening agent and will not react the same way here.
Why is my bread dense?
Usually, this means the oven wasn't hot enough, or the dough was worked for too long. Treat the dough gently, as if it were a soft biscuit.
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