Description

Irish Soda Bread is a staple in Irish cuisine, known for its simplicity and hearty flavor. It’s a quick bread, meaning it doesn’t require yeast to rise, relying instead on baking soda and buttermilk for its lift and slightly tangy taste.

Ingredients

Scale

modifications:

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup rolled oats
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons honey, or more to taste
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Optional: 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
Optional: ¼ cup finely chopped pickled onions or shallots
Optional: 1 teaspoon savory herb blend (e.g., Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning)
Instead of: 1 cup dried currants
Instead of: ⅓ cup golden raisins

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. If using caraway seeds and/or a savory herb blend, add them now.

Step 3: Cut in the Butter. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or a fork to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You want small pieces of butter to remain visible.

Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, honey, and orange zest.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour-butter mixture. If using finely chopped pickled onions or shallots, add them now.

Step 6: Stir to Combine. Use a wooden spoon to stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until a wet, sticky dough comes together. Don’t overmix! The dough will be quite shaggy and sticky – that’s okay.

Step 7: Turn Out and Shape. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Gently press the dough together into a ball.

Step 8: Divide and Shape. Cut the dough ball into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth, round loaf.

Step 9: Transfer to Baking Sheet. Transfer the loaves to the prepared baking sheet, placing them a few inches apart.

Step 10: Score the Loaves. Use a serrated knife to cut a ½-inch-deep “X” into the top of each loaf. This helps the bread to expand evenly during baking.

Step 11: Rest. Let the loaves rest on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax, resulting in a more tender bread.

Step 12: Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and fragrant, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 13: Cool. Transfer the baked loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This is important! Soda bread is best enjoyed completely cooled, as it will continue to firm up as it cools.

Step 14: Serve. Serve the cooled Irish Soda Bread with butter, a selection of cheeses, and, of course, your favorite dill pickles! The bread’s savory notes will complement the pickles perfectly.