There’s a fresh baked loaf of bread on my counter right now. Oh my goodness this bread is good. And it’s so easy to make. And it’s so good. Moist. Crunch on the outside, so soft on the inside. I made this dough in less than 10 minutes. One bowl. No fuss. No mess. Nothing fancy required. Just good, old fashioned bread.
Seriously, if you want fresh bread with your dinner, there’s still time. You’ll have the ingredients and the equipment you need. You just need to spare ten minutes, followed by forty minutes of baking time in the oven. Then you can have this too.
Having never made Irish soda bread before, I did some preliminary research. That is, I checked out some recipes, then contacted my favourite Irish lady – my good friend Mouse. She knows the deal on Irish soda bread. Thanks for the baking advice Mouse!
With Mouse’s knowledge and a very basic recipe I found online at hand, I set to work.
I ended up with a gorgeous loaf of bread. Simple, beautiful, and delicious. You can bet I’ll be making this much more often. It’s also a good yeast-free option. Next time maybe I’ll make spotted dog – just add a cup of raisins or currants to the bread and TA-DA! Spotted dog.
Don’t let the look of the loaf in my pictures deceive you. It may look a touch dark, but I don’t think I overbaked. Maybe next time I’ll lower the rack in the oven (mine is centered), but I think the colour on this loaf gives it character and it certainly doesn’t take from its taste or texture. When the bread came out of the oven, I thought I’d overbaked, but I was really quite pleased with the crunchy crust once I’d gotten myself a slice.
My only real mistake? I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try this.
No fancy accompaniments neceesary here. This bread is a standout all on it’s own. Cut yourself a slice (or a wedge!), slather it with butter and enjoy. I can’t wait to try a slice with molasses. Then I’ll have another slice with some cheddar.
Irish Soda Bread
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a round pan with parchment paper. Alternatively, the loaf can also be baked on a sheet pan.
Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix the dry ingredients together.
Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk. Mix to form a soft dough.
Dump the dough onto a surface. Knead lightly – the loaf will come together quickly – and flatten into a round.
Place the loaf in the parchment-lined round pan (I used an 8 inch round cake pan). Cut a cross on the top of the loaf.
Bake for about 40 minutes.
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
- Add buttermilk and mix until the dough starts to come together.
- Turn the dough out onto a flat surface. Knead a few times until the dough forms a smooth ball.
- Bake the dough in a round parchment-lined (or buttered) pan for 40 minutes.
3 responses to “[Recipe] Irish Soda Bread”