Description
Irish Soda Bread brings warm memories of my grandmother’s kitchen, where simple ingredients magically became a comforting loaf. Crusty outside and tender inside, this traditional bread serves up pure Irish hospitality with just a few pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
Flour and Leavening Agents:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Liquid Ingredient:
- 2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Mix 4 cups of flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda in a large bowl, whisking thoroughly to distribute evenly.
- Pour 2 cups of cold buttermilk into the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms.
- Transfer the shaggy dough onto a floured surface, shaping it into a loose round loaf without excessive handling.
- Move the dough onto a flour-dusted baking sheet, creating a deep cross-shaped slash about ½ inch wide across the top surface.
- Slide the baking sheet into a 425°F oven, setting a timer for 10 minutes to develop initial crust color.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F, continuing to bake for 35-40 minutes until the exterior turns deep golden brown.
- Check bread’s doneness by tapping the bottom – it should produce a hollow sound indicating complete baking.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack, allowing the bread to rest and cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve the bread warm or at room temperature, enjoying its rustic texture and simple flavor.
Notes
- Buttermilk creates the perfect tangy flavor and helps activate the baking soda for a light, tender crumb.
- Avoid overmixing the dough, as this can make the bread tough and dense instead of soft and crumbly.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a good quality gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum.
- Wrap the bread in a clean kitchen towel after cooling to keep the crust soft and prevent it from drying out too quickly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 208 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 7 mg