Description
Rustic American Irish Soda Bread brings hearty charm to kitchen tables with its simple yet satisfying blend of flour, buttermilk, and baking soda. Crusty exterior and tender crumb invite you to savor each rustic slice of this timeless comfort bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Dry Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar
Binding and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (120 g) cold butter
Additional Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (120 g) raisins or currants (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by setting the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and readying a baking sheet with parchment paper or a light grease coating to prevent unwanted adhesion.
- Combine the dry components in a spacious mixing vessel, thoroughly blending flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar until achieving a uniform consistency.
- Incorporate cold butter into the dry mixture, utilizing a pastry cutter or fingertips to break down the fat into fine, pebble-like fragments that distribute evenly throughout the flour.
- Construct a central cavity in the dry ingredients and carefully introduce buttermilk, gently stirring with a wooden implement until the dough begins to coalesce without excessive manipulation.
- Tenderly fold raisins into the partially mixed dough, ensuring even distribution throughout the mixture.
- Transfer the delicate dough onto a flour-dusted surface, performing minimal kneading to form a rustic spherical shape.
- Carefully position the formed loaf onto the prepared baking sheet, creating a distinctive cross-shaped incision across the surface using a razor-sharp knife to promote uniform baking and traditional aesthetic.
- Position the loaf in the preheated oven, monitoring its transformation for 35-45 minutes until it develops a rich golden exterior and produces a hollow acoustic response when gently tapped.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool slightly before slicing, ensuring optimal texture and flavor development.
Notes
- Adapt the flour for gluten-free diets by using a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, which maintains the bread’s traditional texture while accommodating wheat sensitivities.
- Reduce sugar content by half or replace with a natural sweetener like honey, creating a more balanced and health-conscious version of the classic recipe.
- Enhance nutritional value by incorporating whole wheat flour alongside all-purpose flour, adding more fiber and a deeper, nuttier flavor profile to the bread.
- Experiment with mix-ins like seeds, herbs, or alternative dried fruits to personalize the soda bread and create unique flavor combinations that suit individual preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg