Various forms of soda bread are popular throughout Ireland. Soda bread is made using wholemeal, white flour, or both. The bread is sweetened in some regions, while it is more savory in others.
In Ireland, flour is typically made from soft wheat, so soda bread is best made with all-purpose or pastry flour, which has lower levels of gluten than bread flour. In some recipes, buttermilk is replaced by live yogurt or even stout. Because the leavening action starts immediately with baking soda (compared to the time taken for yeast bread to rise), it requires a minimum amount of mixing of the ingredients before baking; the dough should not be over-mixed.
Irish Soda bread with raisins
George’s Irish Soda Bread
Makes one large round loaf
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold *buttermilk, stirred
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Optional: 1 cup dried currants or plumped raisins tossed in a teaspoon of flour (To plump raisins, add 2 tablespoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.)
1 teaspoon of caraway seed
traditional soda bread + jam
Line a heavy-duty 9-inch cake pan or baking sheet pan with parchment paper or grease and lightly flour the surface. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a very large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add cold butter to the flour and blend in by hand until the butter resembles fine crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and beaten egg, and toss in plumped raisins. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. Mix by hand until a dough forms. It will take about one minute of kneading until the flour is absorbed. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Form in the shape of a ball; do not over-knead. Place the round dough on the pan. With a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough across four times, dividing it into equal pieces.
Immediately bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, reducing the temperature to 350 degrees F until the dough sounds hollow, a sign it is fully baked. Allow to cool fully before slicing.
*To make Buttermilk: 1 cup milk, 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar; wait 5 minutes.
