I don’t have a drop of Irish blood in my body (which the mess I made of my fingers peeling potatoes yesterday convincingly attests to, result being that I’m typing this with just nine usable fingers right now). But I’m here in Boston so the coming St. Patrick’s day holiday (yes, it’s an actual holiday here, though the pretext is some revolutionary war battle) looms large. Not only that, my older son is in preschool so shamrocks and leprechaun themed items have been showing up after school. Speaking of which, he and his brother are a quarter Irish via their father, so I suppose it’s their heritage calling.
Well, you know me, I’m always happy to find an excuse to bake. And all the moreso from Darina Allen‘s Forgotten Skills of Cooking, the magnum opus of the “Julia Child of Ireland” (and a birthday present from my mother in law, who would be the source of my son’s Irish-American ancestry).
Irish Soda Bread
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Saint Patrick’s Day is looming around the corner. Why not bake this delightful Irish soda bread in honor of this holiday.
Ingredients
- 2 c whole wheat flour
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1t salt
- 1t baking soda
- 3/4c golden or regular raisins (optional)
- 2c buttermilk (you may need more or less)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F. Stir the dry ingredients together (Allen suggests fluffing with your fingers to give the bread better texture). Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Stir with a dough whisk or a spoon; it should come together quickly. (Allen suggests using one hand, claw-like, to mix). When the dough is mostly incorporated, turn onto a floured surface (you can work in any dry bits while shaping, and you don’t want to overmix in the bowl). Pat and shape into a disk about 1 1/2 inches tall. Slide onto a baking sheet.
- Cut a deep cross into the dough, then use a fork to prick each of the four sections.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 450F, then reduce to 400F for another 15 minutes. Turn the loaf over and bake another 5-10 minutes (really!). The bread will be done when it is hollow when you thump it. Allow to cool and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 230
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- St. Patrick’s Day-Inspired Recipes to Make us Wish it Came More than Once a Year
- Pappa al Pomodoro – Rustic Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup
- Irish Sweet Potato Nachos
- Cranberry Pecan Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe use both whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour?
This recipe from Darina Allen’s “Forgotten Skills of Cooking” uses 2 cups of each — whole wheat and all-purpose — for a bread with hearty flavor and a texture that isn’t too dense. The exact amount of buttermilk (about 2 cups) may vary depending on your flour, so you may need slightly more or less.
What is the purpose of cutting a cross and pricking the dough before baking?
You cut a deep cross into the 1½-inch-tall dough disk and then use a fork to prick each of the four sections. This helps the heat penetrate the center of the dense dough so it bakes through evenly without the crust setting before the interior is cooked.
How do you know when the soda bread is fully baked?
The recipe instructs you to turn the loaf over and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes after the main bake (15 minutes at 450°F, then 15 minutes at 400°F). The bread is done when it sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom.
