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–+ servings
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Irish Soda Bread

By Kimberly Killebrew
With its hallmark crusty exterior and soft and tender interior, this Irish soda bread is delicious on its own slathered with butter or paired with your favorite Irish entrees and side dishes!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups pastry flour (or 3 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 cup cake flour)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar , optional; not traditional but recommended
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter , not traditional but recommended (if omitting add 2 tablespoons buttermilk)
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (for best texture and flavor strongly recommend using real buttermilk, not milk + vinegar/lemon juice)
  • 1 cup raisins or dried currants , optional (can substitute dried cranberries)
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts , optional (not traditional)

Instructions
 

  • Place oven rack in upper middle position and preheat to 400 F/205 C.
    In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the softened butter and work the mixture with your fingers or with a fork until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the buttermilk and stir gently with a fork just until the mixture starts comes together. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add a little more buttermilk, but be careful not to add too much. Turn it out onto a floured work surface and knead it until it becomes a cohesive mass. It should be bumpy and airy, not smooth. Do no over-knead it or your soda bread will be tough.
    Gently shape it into a 6-inch/15cm round and place it in a parchment-lined cast iron skillet or cast iron pot. Score a cross shape on the top of the loaf. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (for more precise results bake until the internal temperature is 180 F/82 C. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

If you want to make a traditional 19th century Irish soda bread, use only the flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk and omit the other ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 478mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 111IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg
Course bread, Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
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