Irish soda bread recipe
Soda bread is the easiest bread you can make. It doesn’t require any kneading – in fact, the less you handle it the better, or it will become tough. There’s no yeast in the mixture, so there's no rising or proving involved. It’s ready in less than an hour. You do need to eat it on the day you bake it, but any leftovers are fabulous toasted. This recipe makes 12 slices.
Tips:
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add the juice of half a lemon to milk, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to curdle.
- You could sprinkle over 1tbsp mixed seeds, such as pumpkin and caraway seeds before baking the loaf.
- You can add 2tbsp raisins or sultanas (soaked in water first for 20 minutes) to the dough to make a fruity loaf.
- If you prefer a lighter loaf, use more white flour and make up the difference with wholemeal or spelt flour.
Ingredients
- 150 g white self-raising flour
- 150 g wholemeal flour or spelt flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 300 ml buttermilk
- 1 tbsp milk, for brushing
- 5.3 oz white self-raising flour
- 5.3 oz wholemeal flour or spelt flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 10.6 fl oz buttermilk
- 1 tbsp milk, for brushing
- 5.3 oz white self-raising flour
- 5.3 oz wholemeal flour or spelt flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 1.3 cups buttermilk
- 1 tbsp milk, for brushing
Details
- Cuisine: Irish
- Recipe Type: Bread
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 30 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Make a well in the centre and add the treacle and buttermilk. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon or your hands, until it just comes together. If it’s a little dry (this depends on your flour) add a splash of buttermilk or milk.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a rounded shape, around 5cm (2 inches) deep. Put it on to an oiled baking sheet.
- Make a deep cross in the top of the bread using a wooden spoon. Brush with a little milk.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes. The loaf should sound hollow when you tap the base. If not, return it to the oven for five minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Main image: Anzhela Klepko/Shutterstock
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