Serves 6
40 min
Easy Irish Soda Bread
Recipe GLPR7d76997e151da0
A classic quick bread with a tender crumb and rustic appeal. This traditional Irish soda bread combines wholemeal and plain flours with buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda for natural leavening, creating a wholesome loaf ready in under an hour. The characteristic cross cut on top is both decorative and traditional.
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Ingredients
170g wholemeal flour
170g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
290ml buttermilk
Directions
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced/Gas Mark 6).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the wholemeal flour, plain flour, salt, and bicarbonate of soda, stirring well to distribute the leavening agent evenly throughout the dry ingredients.
Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Using a large fork, quickly stir and mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms. If the mixture appears too stiff and dry, add a small splash of milk until the consistency is soft but not wet or sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently for just a minute or two to bring it together. Shape the dough into a round, slightly flattened loaf and transfer it to a lightly floured baking sheet.
Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross across the top of the loaf.
Place the bread in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Transfer the baked soda bread to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.
