The Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe
If your are looking to celebrate St Patricks Day or just enjoy Irish Cuisine this is The Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe you are going to find!
Everyone loves bread, and during March Irish Soda Bread is everywhere! This traditional recipe for St Patricks Day is a must try for any baker. It is so delicious and easy to make! Serve it with a bit of butter and you have one tasty treat.
What is Irish Soda Bread
Some say Irish Soda Bread resembles more of a scone than it does a bread. This is because it doesn’t contain any yeast. There are hundreds of different recipes for this yummy bread. If you ask true Irish, they’ll probably tell you soda bread must have only four ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk. To them, anything more is a tea cake.
What Does Irish Soda Bread Taste Like?
While there are many different recipes for this bread, it really does resemble a biscuit or a scone texture and taste. The recipe I am sharing with you has only a few tablespoons of sugar, and there are raisins. So it does hit sweeter notes on your pallet.
How to Make Irish Soda Bread
Making this Soda Bread is a LOT like making a good biscuit! Place all of your dry ingredients in a bowl and stir them together. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut in the cold butter.
In a small bowl mix together the buttermilk and egg until lightly beaten. Add the milk/egg mix to the dry ingredients.
Once everything is stirred you will fold in your raisins.
On a heavily floured surface, knead dough. Work with about half of the dough, it’s easier that way. You want to add enough flour so it’s not sticky, but not too much flour. Adding too much will make your bread dense and hard to eat.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a dutch oven with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use a cast iron skillet, baking dish or cookie sheet. Whatever you have handy that can hold your bread.
Form your dough into a ball and place it in your pan. Use a sharp knife to score the top with an X. Bake for 45- 60 minutes depending on the size of your loaf and the pan.
How to Store
Store your bread in an airtight container. Keeping it in the fridge will also help prolong its life. At most store it sealed in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 1¾ cups buttermilk cold, shaken
- 1 Egg lightly beaten
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl - flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Place raisins in a bowl and add about 2 teaspoons flour mixture, coat raisins (this will help them from settling on the bottom)
- Using a pastry blender or mixer, cut in cold butter
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and egg, beat lightly with a fork. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients.
- Fold raisins into mixture
- On a heavily floured surface, knead dough. Work with about half of the dough, it's easier that way. You want to add enough flour so it's not sticky, but not too much flour
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line dutch oven with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use a cast iron skillet, baking dish or cookie sheet.
- Form dough into a ball, and place it in a pan. Using a sharp knife, make an X on the top of the bread.
- Bake for about 45-60 minutes depending on the size of your loaf.
- Store in airtight container
Dairy Free
- Use a dairy free butter substitute. Country Crock Baking sticks work great. Also replace the buttermilk with a full fat coconut milk.
