Anyone have a tried and true Irish Soda Bread recipe they'd care to share?

[Callalily]

There are dozens and dozens of recipes online, each with a little different take. I tried one recipe, but the bread turned out really dense. The bread will be my contribution to an Irish Dinner.

Thanks!

[3catwoman3]

1. I'd love to have a good recipe.

For several years, we have gotten Trader Joe's Irish soda bread, which is characteristically dense. This ones we have bought this year are so dense they feel like curling stones!

We also got one from Costco, which was much lighter but no caraway seeds.

[Callalily]

2. Sadly no Trader Joe's in the area.

Omitting the caraway is fine with me. It's one of the few spices that I really don't like.

[MiHale]

3. Check out recipes by Paul Hollywood

https://www.paulhollywood.com/posts-1/Soda-Bread

He’s a host on the Great British Bake Off.

[Callalily]

16. Thanks. I've seen him on the Great British Baking Show

and he certainly knows his stuff.

[FarPoint]

4. I enjoy this Ina Garten's easy recipe...

&ab_channel=FoodNetwork

[Callalily]

11. Wow! This looks good. Thanks.

[mitch96]

5. This might work fer ya. My Irish friends Moms recipe..

Preheat oven to 450º
3 cups of all purpose white flour “you don’t have to be exact”
4 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp salt
2 tbl spoons sugar
1 cup raisins. Flour and seperate the raisins
½ stick of margarine
cut the margarine into the mixture so you don’t see it
put floured raisins into the mixture
1.5 cups of buttermilk
knead 10 times
make 1” high cuts and place on cookie sheet
cook on high for 5 min and turn down to 425 for 17 to 20 min

[mitch96]

6. When they came over they settled in Bufflo NY and the local news paper did a story on her Soda.

Last edited Sat Mar 12, 2022, 07:24 PM - Edit history (2)

My friend mentioned that the flour in Ireland has a higher gluten content so maybe use Bread flour? The buttermilk is different also. Much more creamy. There is a differenc in the Soda bread over there. It must be the air.. YMMV
m

[Callalily]

12. Hmmmm...this may work. I do have some gluten flour,

and I could add a couple of tablespoons to the recipe.

[Kali]

7. Do you make regular (American) biscuits?

The one time I made soda bread it reminded me of a giant biscuit.

[cbabe]

8. Mom's Irish Soda Bread

Actually mom was Scots. But dad held an Irish passport as part of our heritage.

preheat oven to 350

Soak to soften and plum up
1 1/2 c chopped very fine citron, other dried fruits, currants (never raisins)

Measure dry
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour
1/2 c white sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt

Mix dry

Measure wet
2 eggs
1 3/4 c buttermilk
1 T liquid shortening (corn oil)

Add wet to dry
Mix

Drain and add fruit

2 well-greased loaf pans or 12” glass bowl

Bake one hour

Slainte!

[Callalily]

13. I really like the idea of mixing

whole wheat flour and white flour. Should make for an interesting bread.

[bottomofthehill]

9. The buttermilk is the key.

[Callalily]

14. Yup. Must use buttermilk.

[Warpy]

10. My bread was pretty dense, it's a quick bread

and those are always going to lack the big bubbles that lighten yeast risen breads.

Basic soda bread is flour, buttermilk, salt, and baking soda. Some recipes cut the baking soda and hedge their bets with baking powder, and that's OK. It's an emergency recipe for when you didn't bake yeast bread that day.

My best advice is to come to terms with what it is. Throw in some raisins, maybe a little caraway seed, and get the best breakfast toast in the world.

[Callalily]

15. Thanks for your observations. Very keen.