Soda Bread

 

I have tried many soda bread recipes and after a few modifications I have come up with this recipe. Using oat flour gives a more smooth firm but light texture and adding honey provides a lovely touch of sweetness. The traditional way to eat soda bread is to break off a piece, spilt it and slather it in butter. 

There are two different shapes of soda bread and both are steeped in tradition, with the Northern regions of Ireland dividing the dough into triangle shapes and cooking them on a griddle. The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in rounds and cut a cross on the top of the bread for superstitious reasons, it is believed that the cross on top would let the fairies out, ward off evil and protect the household. 

Soda Bread 

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2 1/4 cups (250g) oat flour 

1 3/4 cups (250g) white flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 teaspoon salt

420ml buttermilk

1/4 cup honey

extra oat flour for dusting

Preheat oven to 400ºF / 200ºC /Gas 6. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oat flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the buttermilk and honey. Stir and mix together until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it. Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. Do not knead!  

Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Using a sharp knife, score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with extra oat flour.

Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  The loaf should be golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Best eaten on the day of baking however may be enjoyed a day or two after. 

Soda Bread

Soda Bread may be enjoyed anytime not only on St.Patrick's Day, well at least I think so. I stumbled across this Paul Hollywood recipe and my only modification was that I added two tablespoons of honey. A touch of sweetness to a lovely foolproof recipe.  

Soda Bread - Paul Hollywood

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250g/9oz plain wholemeal flour

250g/9oz plain white flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1teaspoon salt

420ml/15 fl. oz buttermilk

2 tablespoons honey, optional

extra flour for dusting

Preheat oven to 200ºC / 400ºF /Gas 6

In a large bowl, mix together the two types of flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.

Add the buttermilk and, honey if adding any, mix until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it.

Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. DO NOT KNEAD 

Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with flour.

Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 minutes at 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. The loaf should be golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack. This is best eaten on the day of baking.

Brown Soda Bread

This brown soda bread recipe is easy and scrumptious. A slice with dinner or a slice toasted for breakfast with butter and a rich marmalade is supreme.  

Brown Soda Bread

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1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons wheat bran

3 tablespoons wheat germ

2 tablespoons old fashion oats

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons honey

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat over to 425ºF

Butter and flour a 9x5x3 inch loaf tin. Line the bottom with baking parchment paper. 

Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. 

Add the butter, rub in with finger tips or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles fine meal. Add the honey then stir in enough buttermilk to form a soft dough.

Transfer the dough to prepared loaf tin.

Bake until bread is dark brown and tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 40 minutes. 

Turn bread out on to a wire rack, right side up, and cool on wire rack.

Notes: Oven vary therefore I had to bake the loaf just a bit longer.   

Brown Soda Bread with Molasses

I have made soda bread before however thought I would give this recipe a try. It has a slight variation, the addition of molasses. This is a quick no fuss recipe without yeast that gives a more dense and textured bread typical of rural Ireland. This soda bread is so appealing that it is great to serve anytime, with any meal and not just Irish inspired ones. 

Brown Soda Bread with Molasses

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Makes 1 loaf

2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 cups whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons molasses

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of nonstick parchment paper.

Combine the flours, oats, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, mixing throughly.

Whisk together the buttermilk and molasses in a large pitcher. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Using a fork, stir the liquid, gradually drawing in the flour from around the edge. With floured hands, lightly knead to a soft dough.

Shape the dough into a circle and place on the lined baking sheet. Press flat to about 2 inches thick. Use a sharp knife with a long blade to cut a deep cross in the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400ºF. Bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm.