Description
Traditional Irish Soda Bread is a simple, rustic bread made without yeast that relies on baking soda for leavening. This quick bread combines flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk to create a dense yet tender loaf with a crisp golden crust. Perfectly suited for serving warm slathered with butter, it offers an authentic taste of Irish heritage with minimal ingredients and effort.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (420 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (337 g) buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking soda thoroughly to evenly distribute the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Add Buttermilk: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients using a wooden spoon, then pour in the buttermilk. Stir gently from the center outward to combine, forming a shaggy dough. It’s important not to overmix to keep the bread tender.
- Knead the Dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and knead gently about 4 times until the dough comes together and the surface becomes slightly smoother. Avoid heavy kneading.
- Shape the Loaf: Using the palms of your hands, shape the dough into a round loaf. Place it onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Score the Top: Lightly sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour, then use a sharp chef’s knife to slash a large X across the surface. This helps the bread expand while baking.
- Bake the Bread: Immediately place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C), rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking, and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm, ideally with Kerrygold Salted Butter for an authentic Irish touch.
Notes
- Use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best texture and flavor.
- Do not over-knead; minimal kneading produces a tender crumb.
- Make sure to slash the dough before baking to allow proper expansion.
- Serving the bread warm with butter enhances the flavor.
- Buttermilk reacts with baking soda to leaven the bread, so do not substitute unless it has similar acidity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of loaf)
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
