Simple Irish Soda Bread

Source

Baker Bettie

Yield

8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (or a combination of whole wheat & all-purpose flour)
  • 1½ tsp Morton kosher salt or table salt (use 1 TBSP if using Diamond kosher)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ cup  unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • 1⅓ cup – 1⅔ cup  buttermilk, cold

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a 4 or 5 quart dutch oven with parchment paper. You can also bake this on a sheet pan or in a skillet, but it will not rise quite as much as it will if you use an enclosed environment.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda until thoroughly combined. Add the pieces of cold butter into the bowl and use a pastry blender or a fork to cut the butter through the flour mixture.
  3. Add the buttermilk in slowly and use a rubber spatula to stir until a soft dough forms. You want the mixture to be a very soft dough that is almost on the verge of becoming a thick batter. Different varieties of flour are more absorbent than others, so this is why a range of liquid is listed.
  4. Once you have the desired consistency, transfer the dough into the prepared dutch oven and use the spatula to roughly shape it into a disk. Use a sharp knife, or a bench scraper, to score an X into the dough. You want to cut very deep, almost all the way to the bottom of the dough.
  5. Put the lid on the dutch oven and put it in the oven. Bake at 450º F for 35 minutes. Remove the lid of the dutch oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown.
  6. Serve with butter and salt.

Nutrition Info

Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 222

Notes

  • If using self-rising flour, eliminate the sale and baking soda from the recipe.