Irish Soda Bread has always been my favorite comfort food. I love its simple ingredients and quick preparation.
Contents
Soda Bread recipe
Irish Soda Bread is a traditional Irish bread made without yeast. It contains flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
The key characteristic of Irish soda bread is its leavening method. It uses baking soda. This ingredient reacts with buttermilk to make the bread rise. This reaction gives the bread its distinctive texture, with a golden-brown crust and a dense, tight crumb. The crust is crisp when fresh but becomes chewier over time.
Irish soda bread is not very sweet. It pairs well with savory dishes. Making the bread is simple. Here’s how to make the traditional soda bread:
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500g) whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups (420ml) buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a cast-iron skillet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually pour in the buttermilk and stir until a soft dough forms. If needed, add a little extra buttermilk for moisture.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead for about 30 seconds, just until it comes together. Shape it into a round loaf.
- Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet or skillet. Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross (X) on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a tap on the bottom sounds hollow.
- Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy warm with butter!
Nutrition
Pairing suggestions
Irish Soda bread, a staple in Irish cuisine can be served in various ways, with both sweet and savory dishes.
- Drinks
- Bailey’s Irish Cream enhances its rich flavor.
- Domaine Carneros Brut complements it with citrus and honeycomb notes.
- Guinness pairs well with its bold flavor.
- Irish Old Fashioned creates a unique combination.
- Refreshing carbonated beer complements the bread nicely.
- Food Pairings
- Butter and Marmalade are a classic choice. Hearty stews and soups pair well with it. Irish stew, pumpkin soup, and beef pie complement it perfectly.
- A traditional Irish breakfast often includes bread with fried eggs, bacon, sausage, black pudding, and beans.
- Soft and hard cheeses make a great pair.
- Jam, honey, or marmalade make delightful toppings.
- Croutons or brioche substitutes can be made from it.
- French toast and bread pudding benefit from its texture.
Variations
Irish Soda Bread has many variations. Here are some of them:
- Brown Soda Bread uses white and whole wheat flour. It is also called “Wheaten Bread”.
- Farl’s dough is shaped into a flat round. It is cut into quarters and cooked in a skillet. These breads are considered daily bread.
- Golden Soda Bread incorporates yellow cornmeal. It replaces about 1/3 of the flour.
- Irish-American Soda Bread includes raisins and dried fruit. It also contains caraway seeds, butter, and sugar.
- Railway Cake is also called “Spotted Dog”. It includes dried currants.
- Rich Brown Soda Bread includes butter, sugar, or egg. It sometimes includes oatmeal.
- Seedy Bread includes caraway seeds and a little sugar. These are added to basic ingredients.
- Soda Scones are made from the same dough as other soda breads. The dough is rolled out, cut, and baked.
- Spotted Dog contains golden raisins, butter, eggs, and sugar. Dark raisins can create defined spots.
- Spotted Puppies are small, individual soda breads. They are similar to large scones. They are made with the Spotted Dog recipe.
- Stripy Cat includes chunks of chocolate. Chocolate replaces raisins in the recipe.
- Treacle Bread is sweetened with molasses. It is flavored with ginger and belongs to the Tea Cake category.