Serves 10
70 min
Irish Soda Bread
Recipe GLPR4629bde20a7f65
A hearty, rustic Irish soda bread enriched with whole wheat bran, caraway seeds, and plump raisins. The dough comes together quickly without yeast, relying on the reaction between baking soda and acidified milk to rise. This wholesome loaf is perfect served warm with good Irish butter.
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Ingredients
1⅓ cup Whole milk
⅓ cup Apple-cider vinegar
3 cups All-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons Coarse salt
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Baking soda
4 tablespoons Cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup Unprocessed wheat bran
¼ cup Caraway seeds
1 cup Raisins
All-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
Salted Irish butter, for serving
Directions
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly dust it with flour.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the whole milk and apple-cider vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to sour and curdle slightly, creating a buttermilk-like base.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, coarse salt, baking powder, baking soda, and wheat bran until evenly combined.
Add the cold butter pieces to the dry mixture and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Stir in the caraway seeds and raisins until distributed throughout the dry mixture.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the soured milk mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, gently mix until a shaggy dough forms—do not overwork the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a flour-dusted work surface and gently knead it 3 to 4 times until it just comes together. The dough should remain slightly sticky and rustic.
Shape the dough into a round loaf approximately 7 inches in diameter. Place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Using a sharp knife, score a deep X across the top of the loaf, cutting about 1/4 inch deep. This traditional marking helps the bread cook evenly and allows steam to escape.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the loaf is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. The internal structure should be cooked through.
Transfer the baked loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Slice and serve warm with salted Irish butter.
