Description
This traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe delivers a quick and easy no-yeast bread that’s crusty on the outside and tender inside. Made with a combination of white and wholemeal flours and leavened with baking soda and buttermilk, this bread requires minimal prep and no rising time, making it perfect for a comforting homemade loaf any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups white flour (plain/all-purpose)
- 1 3/4 cups wholemeal flour (wholewheat)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Other Ingredients
- 2 – 3 tbsp extra flour (for dusting)
- 2 cups buttermilk (fridge cold)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C fan setting to ensure it’s hot enough for the soda bread to bake evenly and form a crust.
- Prepare Baking Tray: Line a baking tray with baking paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the white flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined to ensure even distribution of leavening.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir the mixture until it becomes difficult to stir further, forming a sticky dough.
- Flour Work Surface: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of extra flour onto your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking during kneading. Scrape out the dough onto this floured surface and sprinkle more flour on top as needed.
- Knead Dough Gently: Knead the dough gently no more than 8 times just until it comes together into a ball. Over-kneading can make the bread tough.
- Shape the Dough: Transfer the dough ball to the lined baking tray and gently pat it into a disc about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick to help it bake evenly.
- Score the Bread: Using a serrated knife, cut a cross 1 cm (0.3 inches) deep into the surface of the dough. This allows steam to escape and helps the bread rise properly.
- First Bake: Bake the bread for 20 minutes at 220°C (430°F), allowing the crust to form and the bread to start rising.
- Adjust Temperature and Finish Baking: Lower the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C fan and bake for another 20 minutes or until the base sounds hollow when tapped in the center, indicating the bread is fully baked.
- Cool Before Slicing: Transfer the baked bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow the crumb to set and prevent it from becoming gummy.
Notes
- Note 1: Wholemeal flour adds nuttiness and fiber to the bread but you can adjust the ratio to your preference.
- Note 2: Baking soda reacts with the acidity in the buttermilk to leaven the bread without yeast.
- Note 3: Using cold buttermilk slows the reaction slightly, giving better texture.
- Note 4: Avoid over-kneading to keep the bread tender and crumbly rather than chewy.
