irish soda bread

Some of the world's most enduring, culturally rich recipes were born out of necessity and hardship, and Irish Soda Bread is a fine example of this. For 200 years it's been a staple of the Irish diet, as well as a cornerstone of Ireland's culinary history. 

Traditional Irish Soda bread is a fabulous recipe to have on hand. It has no yeast, making it one of the fastest breads to get on the table - just 1 hour from start to finish! The taste is really moreish and not dissimilar to a scone or damper, although the addition of wholewheat flour gives it a bit more grunt and texture.

The raising agents are bi-carb soda and buttermilk. It's that classic chemical reaction of sodium bicarbonate mixed with an acidic liquid that creates bubbles of carbon dioxide, and it's these bubbles that produce the lift needed for a high, light loaf.

There are two important factors that will help deliver the perfectly risen loaf: Firstly, the buttermilk needs to be cold. And secondly, once the buttermilk is added to the dry components of the bread, don't dilly-dally - get it into the oven straight away, ideally within 10 mins of mixing your dough. 

No buttermilk, no worries!
If there's no buttermilk in your fridge it's a cinch to make. All you need is cold, full cream milk and a dash of white vinegar or lemon juice. Combine the two (½ tsp vinegar or lemon to 1 cup milk) and leave to sit for up to 10 mins - you'll notice it will turn the consistency of runny drinking yoghurt. It's a fool-proof solution and works for pancakes, dressings and anything that requires buttermilk.

​Enjoy soda bread fresh from the oven spread generally with butter. Honey and golden syrup are delicious topping options. Use soda bread to mop up stews and soups, serve slices of it alongside a ploughman's lunch, or with butter and jam for morning tea. Sliced and frozen soda bread can be warmed quickly in a pan or microwave, or pop it still frozen straight in the toaster for the ultimate toast and butter experience.

Makes 1 standard loaf
Prep time: 15 mins; Baking time: 45 mins 

Ingredients:
2 cups white flour (plain/all purpose)
2 cups wholewheat flour 
plus a little extra flour for dusting 
1 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda (aka baking soda)
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk (or make your own by adding 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups cold, full cream milk and leaving it to sit for 10 mins )
2 tbsp butter, melted (cooled to room temperature)
Optional: 1 tbsp rolled oats or seeds to sprinkle on top

Method:
If you're making your own buttermilk, make this the first.

Turn the oven on to 220°c/200° fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper, or flour the tray lightly.

Important: Don't mix your dough until your oven has reached temperature. You'll get the best result if your dough goes into the oven immediately after it's been mixed.

Melt butter and put aside to cool to room temperature (warm is fine).

Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix with a whisk (this is the cant-be-bothered way of sifting and it's very effective). Now pour the buttermilk and butter mixture, and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined until it becomes too dense to keep stirring.

Sprinkle the extra flour onto a board or benchtop then tip your dough out onto it. With well-floured hands knead the dough very briefly (no more than 7 or 8 times) and form it into a ball. You just need to mix the ingredients - you don't want to work it like a regular bread dough.

Lift dough onto the prepared tray. Score a cross into the top of the dough about ½ cm deep. Transfer tray to oven and set a timer for 15 mins.

When the timer goes off, turn the oven down to 200°c/180°c fan forced and continue to bake bread for a further 20-30 mins - check if  it’s done by taking the tray out of the oven, and giving the loaf a tap on the bottom carefully with your fingers as will be hot. A deep, hollow tap means the bread is ready.

Transfer bread to a wire cooling rack for at least 10 mins before slicing and enjoying with a generous slab of butter (and honey!).

Soda bread is always best when freshly baked. After 2 days it starts to dry out so if you have any leftovers, slice, place in a sealed air-tight bag and store in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 3 months.

Pimp My Recipe
Use all white or all wholewheat flour instead of the mix of the two like I've used. 

Add these add-ins to the flour at the beginning of the recipe:

• Add a tablespoon of wheat germ or oatbran (and use 1 less tbsp of flour to compensate). This is possibly my favourite add-in as it gives the bread a delicious texture and flavour.
  
• Make a fruit version: Add ½ a cup of whatever dried fruit you fancy. Cranberries and candied orange peel are a fabulous combination.
  
• Sweet Oat & Walnut Soda bread: Replace 1 cup of the flour with a cup of quick oats. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 cup toasted Walnut pieces. Utterly delicious!
  
• Chocolate chips: Milk, dark, whatever you prefer - the addition of chocolate is scrumptious!
  
• Cheese, Bacon and Shallots: Add 1/3 cup sharp cheddar, 2-3 rashers of bacon, cooked and chopped finely, and 2 tbsp finely chopped shallots/green onion. Chives work too. This bread is a winner.