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Irish soda bread recipes Sceala Irish Craic Forum Irish Message |
jodonnell
Sceala Philosopher
Location: NYC
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Irish soda bread recipes
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Soda bread is a type of quick bread in which baking soda has been substituted for yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Other ingredients can be added such as raisins or various forms of nuts.
The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Soda bread can dry out quickly and is typically good for two to three days, it is best served warm or toasted. In Ireland, typically the flour is made from soft wheat, so soda bread is best made with a cake or pastry flour (made from soft wheat), which has lower levels of gluten than a bread flour.
Various forms of soda bread are popular throughout Ireland. The bread is either brown or white, with the former known colloquially as "brown bread" in the Republic of Ireland or wheaten bread in the north of Ireland. The two major types are the loaf and the "griddle cake", or farl in the north of Ireland. The loaf form takes a more rounded shape and has a cross cut in the top to allow the bread to expand. The griddle cake or farl, is a more flattened type of bread. It is cooked on a griddle allowing it to take a more flat shape and split into four sections.
Soda bread dates back to approximately 1840, when bicarbonate of soda was introduced to Ireland. Because the climate of Ireland hinders the growth of hard wheat [which creates a flour that rises easily with the assistance of yeast], bicarbonate of soda replaced yeast as the leavening agent.
There are several theories as to the significance of the cross in soda bread. Some believe that the cross was placed in the bread to ward off evil. It is more likely that the cross is used to help with the cooking of the bread or to serve as a guideline for even slices.
Soda bread eventually became a staple of the Irish diet. It was, and still is, used as an accompaniment to a meal.
Soda bread or Soda Farl is an important part of the traditional Irish breakfast
Make soda bread recipe
Making soda farls
Two-part tutorial on how to make the "farl" style of Irish soda bread.
Kerryman [born Killarney] Paddy Joe's audio on his love of Irish Soda bread baked by his son Bob.
This traditional Irish bread done the American way .
Brown soda bread basic recipe to include ground flax seed for flavor and nutritional value.
Recipe:
Pre-Heat oven to 400f/205c
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1+2/3 cup whole wheat flour*
1/3 cup ground flax seed*
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
*-substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour for the wheat flour/flax seed combo.
-Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. I used a pastry blender, but a spoon is good enough.
-Pour all of the buttermilk into the bowl. Mix with a spoon just until combined. the dough will be loose and crumbly.
-Pour out the dough onto a counter(I used waxed paper). Knead gently for a minute until everything holds together.
-Divide the dough into 2 loaves. Shape each loaf into a round. Press lightly to flatten the loaves. Cut a cross from side to side into the loaves. Do not cut too deep, just enough to split the surface of the bread.
-Transfer to a baking pan or 2 pans. I used a cast iron pan to help brown the exterior and give more "crunch" to the bread.
-Place in a Pre-Heated 400f oven for 45 minutes. The bread is done when you hear a hollow sound when tapping on the bottom of the loaf.
-cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Can be enjoyed hot from the oven, but if you cut it too soon the escaping steam will leave you with a dry loaf.
Another version of White Soda Bread
Ingredients
400g plain flour
Pinch of salt
Level teaspoon of bread soda
300ml buttermilk
Method
Mix the flour, salt and bread soda together in a large mixing bowl.
Add in the buttermilk and mix completely.
Take out of the bowl and put onto a floured work surface and kneed into a loaf shape.
Put the loaf into a well oiled two pound loaf tin and bake at 150 degrees for one hour and then take the loaf out of the tin and bake at 150 degrees for a further 15 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
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