Traditional Irish Soda Bread
(from AmericnJewl’s recipe box)
The bread is best when it is warm and comes out of the oven with a crisp crust and a tender interior. It is easy to taste the buttermilk in the loaf, but it is very plain bread. I like it with soup, where it can sop up broth, or cut into slices (I often simply pull pieces off the loaf) and topped with butter or jam. Irish butter is usually salted and will taste better with the bread than unsalted butter.
Source: BakingSheet Blog (http://bakingsheet.blogspot.com)
Categories: baked, bread, not tried
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 - 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir together. Add buttermilk and mix with a large spoon (or with your hands, shaping your fingers into a “claw”) until the dough comes together. You might need two tablespoons more or less buttermilk depending on the weather. The dough should be moist, but not so sticky it is very hard to handle.
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Shape into a round and place on baking sheet. Cut an X into the top with a sharp knife and bake for about 45 minutes, until dark golden. A toothpick will come out clean.
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Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing. Bread is best served soon after baking.