I asked a great family friend with Irish roots to share with me the recipe he uses each year to make Irish Soda Bread for their St Patrick's Day dinner. Hope you enjoy!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients: 1 and ¾ cup buttermilk 1 large egg 4 ¼ cups all purpose flour plus more for your hands and counter 3 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pan options, a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat, or use a seasoned 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (no need to preheat the skillet unless you want to), or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. You can also use a 5 quart dutch oven. Grease or line with parchment paper. If using a dutch oven, bake the bread with the lid off. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Mixture is very heavy on the flour, but do your best to cut the butter until the butter is pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk, egg mixture. Gently fold the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the four is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife, score the dough with a slash or an X about ½ inch deep. Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 45-55 min. Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads 195 degrees at the center of the loaf. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 min and then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp, your choice. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
NOTES: - using cold buttermilk is best, and is key to the bread flavour, texture and rise to make your own buttermilk use whole or 2% milk - add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and then add enough milk to make 1 ¾ cups total, whisk together and let stand 5 min. - dont over-work the dough, its supposed to look a little shaggy - while any pan mentioned is appropriate for baking, the writer recommends a cast iron skillet as it helps guarantee a super crispy crust
Happy St Patrick's Day!
I asked a great family friend with Irish roots to share with me the recipe he uses each year to make Irish Soda Bread for their St Patrick's Day dinner. Hope you enjoy!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
1 and ¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
4 ¼ cups all purpose flour plus more for your hands and counter
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 cup raisins (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Pan options, a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat, or use a seasoned 10-12 inch cast iron skillet (no need to preheat the skillet unless you want to), or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. You can also use a 5 quart dutch oven. Grease or line with parchment paper. If using a dutch oven, bake the bread with the lid off.
Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Mixture is very heavy on the flour, but do your best to cut the butter until the butter is pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk, egg mixture. Gently fold the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the four is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife, score the dough with a slash or an X about ½ inch deep.
Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 45-55 min. Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads 195 degrees at the center of the loaf.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 min and then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp, your choice.
Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
NOTES:
- using cold buttermilk is best, and is key to the bread flavour, texture and rise to make your own buttermilk use whole or 2% milk - add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and then add enough milk to make 1 ¾ cups total, whisk together and let stand 5 min.
- dont over-work the dough, its supposed to look a little shaggy
- while any pan mentioned is appropriate for baking, the writer recommends a cast iron skillet as it helps guarantee a super crispy crust