Irish soda bread: the Irish recipe • Go-to-Ireland.com

If ever there was an iconic Irish bread, it’s the Irish soda bread! This express bread is very popular in Ireland, easy to make and appreciated for its soft crumb and crispy crust. What makes it special? The dough is made from a base of flour, bircarbonate and buttermilk. No baker’s yeast: the presence of baking soda, combined with buttermilk, results in a dense but perfectly honeycombed crumb, allowing the bread to rise as much as possible.

A taste of Irish soda bread

Healthy and delicious express bread

Slices of Irish soda bread – © lganz

If you don’t have the patience of shaped and kneaded breads that take hours to rise, then you’ve come to the right place.

Irish soda bread is a tasty and delicious express bread that will brighten up your meals and snack times!

Considered a traditional Irish bread, there are as many recipes as there are families in Ireland.

But all Irish grandmothers agree: Irish soda bread is made with white flour, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk.

As for the rest, it’s all a matter of fantasy, although it’s common to add a pinch of sugar and raisins to add a touch of deliciousness. Some like to add wholemeal flour, but it’s all a matter of taste.

Tasting instructions

An Irish soda bread still in its pan – © lganz

The final result is simply exceptional: a perfectly balanced loaf with a dense, airy crumb and a crisp crust.

The bread is light: not heavy, and its crumb becomes curiously tender with each passing day.

The Irish usually enjoy it with a little farm butter, jam or Irish cheese. It also goes perfectly with an Irish stew and a fresh pint of stout.

The same goes for fish: spread a little butter, add slices of smoked Irish salmon… and you’ve got a pure delight, 100% Irish!

It’s also great with a cup of Irish tea (such as Barry’s Tea, a local classic).

In short, you’ve got it: Irish soda bread is the perfect bread for every situation. Salty, sweet… With each tasting, you’ll find simplicity, generosity and indulgence – three attributes dear to Irish cuisine.

Don’t hesitate to make it at home: it’s so easy to prepare, and will bring a bit of Ireland into your home! This traditional recipe could well make you rediscover bread, minus the rising and shaping time!

Recipe: Irish soda bread

Ingredients

530g white flour (allow more for the work surface and your hands)
45 cl cold buttermilk or ribot milk
70g cold unsalted butter
1 egg
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon edible baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
150g raisins

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°C
Place the buttermilk and egg together in a bowl.
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In a separate bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
Using your fingers, gradually blend in the cold butter. This is no easy task, as the dough will be a little heavy and floury.
When the mixture is smooth, add the raisins.
Shape the dough on a floured work surface. Add a little flour if the dough is too sticky.
Form a ball of dough and place in a buttered cast-iron frying pan.
Score a cross on the top of the bread with the tip of a knife.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
Once baked (the bread should sound hollow when tapped), remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
All you have to do is enjoy, hot, cold, grilled... Keep refrigerated for up to one week.