What I love most about Ireland (next to the lovely people and the fantastic nature off course!) is the soda bread. The use of bicarbonate of soda rather than yeast gives it a wonderful flavour and the fact that it doesn’t have to rise makes it deliciously firm and chewy. Which means it’s really quick to whisk together when ever you feel like it.
I had loads of soda bread while living on The Emerald Isle. Favourite ones being in a bed & breakfast in Wexford where the owner served it to us warm with a variety of home-made marmalade. And in Howth, North of Dublin, where you can as pub grub get this amazing seafood platter served with soda bread and real butter. And in Kilkenny where I had a delicious, hearty mushroom soup with slices of soda bread on the side (or was it the other way around?). Oh, I probably could just go on and on…!
I made a loaf this morning and we had it for both breakfast and lunch with raspberry jam and salty goats cheese, which I bought at this amazing Sunday market in Brussels last weekend (at the market you could also have oysters with a glass of champagne. Before noon. We settled for some sparkling rosé and a goodie bag to bring with us home. Don’t you just love things like that?!).
Makes 1 loaf
250 g white flour
250 g whole-wheat flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
350 ml buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Add the whole-wheat flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, gradually stir the flour into the buttermilk to form a soft dough. Bring the dough together with your hands, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead lightly and briefly until it forms a smooth ball.
Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Put the ball on the sheet and flatten it slightly to make a round loaf about 19 cm in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the top of the loaf.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until well risen and browned, and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the base. If it sounds moist and heavy, bake for a further 3–5 minutes and then test it again.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Looks delicious! I’ve never had or heard of soda bread! Loved reading about it!
It’s great cos it doesn’t have to rise, saving you loads of time! And super easy to make, we could make together one day! xx
Yummy! With home made jams and honey and loads of butter!!! Mouthwatering stuff.
It’s super delicious!! And very filling, a couple of slices and your are stuffed! Thanks for stopping by! xx
Hi,
Also good with only wholewheat flour or only white with raisons.
Thanks Liz! Will try to make it with only wholeweat! never had with raisins, sounds god too!
my mother (welsh) used to make us soda bread as a treat, she told us kids ‘it’s what the poor people in Ireland eat.’
Thanks for stopping by! Was her recipe I bit like mine?
No wheat-flour, all white. The poor Irish wouldn’t have been able to afford it ! it tasted great though.