Irish Soda Bread (Traditional) (UPDATED)

UPDATED 2021

We’d been planning a “big year” before the Coronavirus pandemic hit. It included renting a place in Ireland for a year and using it as a base to travel and also have family and friends visit us. These plans are all delayed until there is a vaccine and people can travel safely.   

In the meantime, I've been cooking from an Irish Pub Cookbook, and learning more about Irish food. 

Irish soda bread ---the traditional version--- doesn't have raisins and other goodies.  

Only 4 ingredients:  flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk. That's it.

Soda bread is made without yeast, using baking soda as the leavening agent and buttermilk to activate it.

Dense yet soft

Leftovers make delicious toast in the morning. And it freezes well.  I slice it before freezing, then pull out a few slices at a time.  

---Barbara

Irish Soda Bread
(adapted from Irish Pub Cooking)

Makes 1 large round loaf

4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 1/4 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
1 3/4 cups plus at least 2 T. whole buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or grease it if you don't have parchment paper).

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a bowl.  (I no longer sift the flour. And I am careful to fluff the flour first before measuring.  It's better to be under with flour than over in quantity.)

Make a well in the center and pour in most of the buttermilk  Mix well, first with a wooden spoon, and then with your hands.  The dough should be very soft but not too wet.  If needed, add the remaining buttermilk.  . 

2021 UPDATE:  Here's what I do now based on experience.  I keep the dough in the bowl, and using my hand I run it along the outside and lift the dough to the center while rotating the bowl with my other hand. I keep going around and around and lifting the shaggy dry bits from the bottom of the bowl into the ball until it all comes together in a nice round loaf with stays together.  It takes a while, but it will eventually come together.  If you are having problems, just flip the dough ball over and reverse your direction and it will come together and be patient.  Then skip the next 2 steps.

Lightly dust the countertop or large cutting board with flour.

Turn out the dough and knead lightly and briefly until it comes together into a rough round loaf.  Don't over knead it or the gas will escape.

Shape into an 8 inch round.  Put it in the center of the parchment lined baking sheet.

Cut a cross in the top with a sharp knife or baker's lame.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes  (Mine takes 32 minutes almost every time.) until golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.

Serve warm with Irish butter.

Note:  To keep the bread as fresh as possible, I have tried many techniques, but the best thing I have found so far is to put it in an empty flour bag and clip it closed.  Then, slice it and toast the next day.

With Sprouted Wheat Flour 

Alternative versions:  Substitute 1 cup sprouted wheat flour and 1 cup self rising flour for cups of the regular flour, and reduce the salt to 1 t.  This will make a loaf more similar to what you get in Ireland.