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Traditional Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe

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  • Author: Evelyn
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
  • Total Time: 55-60 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf (serves 6-8)
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Irish
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Traditional Easy Irish Soda Bread recipe offers a simple and authentic approach to making classic Irish soda bread at home. With just a handful of basic ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk, this bread comes together quickly and bakes into a golden, crusty loaf that is perfectly tender inside. Ideal for a cozy breakfast or to accompany soups and stews, this no-yeast bread requires minimal effort and delivers the hearty taste of Ireland.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 cups (580g) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 cups (470ml) cold buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400℉ (204℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it well to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can use an 8-inch cake pan or an oven-proof skillet for baking the bread.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. This ensures the leavening ingredient and seasoning are distributed properly throughout the flour.
  3. Add Buttermilk and Form Dough: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir gently just until the mixture starts to come together and becomes too stiff to stir easily. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead gently with floured hands 5-10 times, just until all the flour is moistened and the dough forms a cohesive ball.
  4. Shape and Score: Form the dough into an 8-inch round loaf. Place it onto the prepared baking sheet or pan. Using a very sharp knife, cut a ¼ to ½ inch deep “X” shape on the top of the dough. This scoring allows the bread to expand properly while baking.
  5. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the loaf has a golden-brown crust. To test for doneness, tap the bottom of the loaf – it should sound hollow. Additionally, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 195℉ (90.5℃).
  6. Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing. This resting time helps set the crumb structure for the best texture.

Notes

  • Use cold buttermilk for better texture and slow activation of baking soda.
  • Do not over-knead the dough to keep the bread tender and fluffy.
  • Scoring the top of the dough allows steam to escape and ensures even baking.
  • If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to 2 cups of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
  • To check for doneness, listen for the hollow sound when tapping the bottom of the loaf as well as use a thermometer if available.

Find it online: https://evelynscooking.com/traditional-easy-irish-soda-bread-recipe/