Description
Hearty st. patrick’s classic irish soda bread brings rustic charm straight from Ireland’s rolling countryside. Crusty exterior and tender crumb promise a delightful slice of traditional comfort you’ll savor with each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 cups (2880 milliliters) all-purpose flour
- 1 12 cups (360 milliliters) buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) unsalted butter, melted
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) dried fruit
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal bread baking conditions.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients through thorough whisking.
- Create a soft dough by gently incorporating buttermilk and melted butter, mixing until ingredients barely coalesce without overmixing.
- Transfer the fragile dough onto a lightly dusted work surface, performing minimal kneading (5-6 gentle turns) to maintain the bread’s delicate texture.
- Form the dough into a rustic circular shape, using a sharp knife to carve a distinctive cross-shaped score on the top surface, allowing steam to escape during baking.
- Position the prepared loaf on the parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake for approximately 30 minutes until the exterior develops a rich golden-brown color.
- Verify doneness by tapping the bottom of the bread – a hollow sound indicates the soda bread is perfectly cooked and ready to be removed from the oven.
- Allow the bread to rest and slightly cool before slicing, ensuring clean cuts and preserving the bread’s delicate internal structure.
Notes
- Swap whole wheat flour for a portion of all-purpose flour to boost nutritional value and add a nutty flavor profile.
- Handle dough minimally to keep bread tender and prevent tough, dense texture from overworking gluten.
- Brush loaf with melted butter immediately after baking for extra golden, crispy crust that adds rich flavor.
- Store bread wrapped in clean kitchen towel at room temperature for maximum freshness, consuming within 2-3 days for best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 279 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg