Irish Soda Bread is a type of quick bread.
This is a rustic and crusty bread. The kind to serve with a chunky vegetable soup, or, well, Irish stew.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, wrap it in a clean, dry towel to soften a bit
The next day is best, I think, when it is biscuit-y and you toast it and spread it with butter and jam.
You can use all purpose flour only for a finer, more upper class bread. (Upper crust)
The combination of flours can be switched to your taste, but to be Soda Bread, you must use buttermilk, or at least soured milk, and baking soda. The combination of the two react for the bread to rise- so don’t let your unbaked loaf sit too long before putting it in the preheated oven.
Most recipes will also call for baking powder, because too much baking soda tastes bitter and even changes the colour of the bread due to that reaction from the acid in the buttermilk.
The bread is finished with a deep cross made in the bread using a sharp knife.
Functional, as it helps in baking more evenly to the middle, and to give it room to rise without getting cracks all over the place.
Symbolically, it is a traditional Irish Soda Bread mark “to keep your home safe.”
Some add egg, some no butter. This is mine.
How to Make Oatmeal Irish Soda Bread
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 -9” (23cm) loaf, about 10 servings
- 3 cups (405g) all purpose flour (bleached or unbleached)
- 1 cup (125g) whole wheat flour
- 6 Tbsp (37g) rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp (25g) sugar
- 2 Tbsp (28g) butter
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¾ cups (415mL) buttermilk, or 1 Tbsp vinegar topped up with milk to equal 415mL. Microwave for 20 seconds
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (205°C)
You can use a greased or lined cookie sheet, or a round cake pan.
2. Put the whole wheat flour, if using, in a food processor if you would like it more fine.
3. Add the oats, putting 1 Tablespoon aside for the top of the bread, and pulse the rest until as fine or coarse as you would like.
4. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
5. The bowl should be large enough to give the dough room to be combined without being compressed, which would make a heavier bread.
6. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in about 1½ cups/360mL of the buttermilk to start, and the melted butter.
7. Add more buttermilk as you need it, depending on your flour combination you may need more or less. There will be enough left for brushing the top of the bread. You only need a bit.
8. Bring the flour into the middle and combine quickly.
It should still be a bit floury as you turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly, just a few folds, to form into a round.
Do not overwork the dough.
9. Place into the cake pan or on the baking sheet and pat down so it is an almost level 9”/23cm disc.
10. Brush with leftover buttermilk and melted butter if you would like.
11. Cut a fairly deep cross in the top.
12. Sprinkle with the tablespoon of oats that were put aside
13. Bake 400°F/204°C for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 360°F/182°C and bake for another 30- 35 minutes.
When you remove it from the oven, using a towel or tongs, lift the loaf so you can tap the bottom. It should sound hollow. If in doubt, pop in back in for another 5 mins.
14. Remove from the oven and immediately wrap in a towel for a less crusty bread. It will soften up by the next day either way.
Let it cool at least an hour before cutting.
Oatmeal Irish Soda Bread
As soon as it comes out of the oven, wrap it in a clean, dry towel to soften the crust if you would like.
The next day is best, I think, when it is biscuit-y and you toast it and spread it with butter and jam.
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Servings: 10
Recipe PDF
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups (405g) all purpose flour (bleached or unbleached)
- 1 cup (125g) whole wheat flour
- 6 Tbsp (37g) rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp (25g) sugar
- 2 Tbsp (28g) butter
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¾ cups (415mL) buttermilk, or 1 Tbsp vinegar topped up with milk to equal 415mL, microwaved for 20 seconds
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (204°C ) You can use a greased or lined cookie sheet, or a round cake pan.
- Put the whole wheat flour, if using, in a food processor if you would like it more fine.
- Add the oats, putting 1 Tablespoon aside for the top of the bread, and pulse the rest until as fine or coarse as you would like.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
- The bowl should be large enough to give the dough room to be combined without being compressed, which would make a heavier bread.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in about 1½ cups/360mL of the buttermilk to start, and the melted butter.
- Add more buttermilk as you need it, depending on your flour combination you may need more or less. There will be enough left for brushing the top of the bread. You only need a bit.
- Bring the flour into the middle and combine quickly. It should still be a bit floury as you turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly, just a few folds, to form into a round. –Do not overwork the dough.
- Place into the cake pan or on the baking sheet and pat down so it is an almost level 9”/23cm disc.
- Brush with leftover buttermilk and melted butter if you would like.
- Cut a fairly deep cross in the top.
- Sprinkle with the Tablespoon of oats that were put aside.
- Bake 400°F/204°C for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 360°F/182°C and bake for another 30- 35 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, using a towel or tongs, lift the loaf so you can tap the bottom. It should sound hollow. If in doubt, pop in back in for another 5 mins.
- Remove from the oven and immediately wrap in a towel for a less crusty bread. It will soften up by the next day either way.
Let it cool about an hour before cutting.
