Irish Soda Bread is a dense and savory quick bread made with soft flour, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, and salt. It is traditionally marked with a cross and served warm with butter. The bread originated in Ireland when baking soda was used as a substitute for baking powder. To make it, sift together soft wheat flour, salt, and baking soda, then add buttermilk and knead briefly. Bake for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. Do not add raisins or other ingredients, as it is not traditional Irish Soda Bread.
Irish Soda Bread is a unique quick bread made with soft flour, baking soda, buttermilk, butter, and salt. A bread with any other ingredients in it is not a true Irish soda bread, even though it may be passed down as such. When done right, the bread is dense and very healthy, with a rich, savory flavor and moist crumb. This bread is often served warm with a smear of butter and goes well with a range of dishes, especially soups and stews.
Ireland’s climate is not the best for growing the durum wheat varieties that are traditionally used in bread-making. Durum wheat can withstand kneading and leavening, while a soft wheat tends to become mushy and sticky. When baking soda was introduced to Ireland in the mid-1840s, cooks began using it as a substitute for baking powder. The result was Irish Soda Bread, a staple of Irish cuisine with enduring popularity.
To make the bread, sift together three cups of wheat flour and one cup of white flour, along with one teaspoon of salt and one-and-a-half teaspoons of baking soda. Try using soft wheat flour; avoid a flour designed for bread making or a self-rising flour. Cut a tablespoon of butter into the mixture, working it by hand to make the flour crumbly.
Next, slowly add a scant two cups of buttermilk, turning the dough into a loose mass. Knead the dough very briefly on a floured surface and then press it into an oiled and floured loaf pan. Traditionally, Irish soda bread is marked with a large cross, which allows the gas to escape and makes the bread easy to divide. Bake the bread in a 425-degree Fahrenheit (218-degree Celsius) oven for half an hour, covered, then uncover the bread for another 15 minutes. The bread is finished if it sounds hollow when touched.
Turn the bread into a towel-lined basket. This bread tastes best the day it’s made; tends to go stale if stored too long. You may be able to revive day-old bread with a sprinkle of water and a quick toasting. While butter is a common topping, you can also use clotted cream or preserves.
If you insist on adding raisins or fruit to your bread, call it a spotted dog. A version with ingredients such as eggs, sugar, or yeast is more properly referred to as a cake. While both of these baked goods can be perfectly delicious, they are not to be confused with traditional Irish bread, which is delightful in its simplicity.
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