Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread
8
servings1
hour30
minutesIrish Soda Bread is a quick bread, ready in a snap. It has all the deliciousness of yeasted breads, without yeast, kneading or rising time. Perfect for brunch. We make my Irish soda bread with spelt flour, our favourite flour for everything: low gluten, high fibre, high protein, great flavour!
Dairy please. No substitutions here; it won’t be nearly as good.
Ingredients
3/4 stick unsalted butter, divided in three
3 cups flour (all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, or spelt)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, low-fat OK…
…1 3/4 cups plain yogurt, low-fat OK
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup currants…
…or 1 cup raisins
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Grease a 25cm skillet with a third of the butter.
- Using two knives or a pastry cutter, work 1/3 of the butter, the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Mix the buttermilk and eggs well in a bowl.
- Add the caraway seeds and raisins and combine again.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, mixing only until combined.
- Pour the batter into the skillet.
- Cut the remaining butter into tiny pieces and drop evenly over the bread.
- With a sharp knife, make 2 perpendicular gashes over the bread, like an X.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until the top looks golden and firm.
- Eat preferably warm.
Notes
- Variations: Be generous with the veggies you are including and make a short and sweet selection.
– Add some freshly grated parmesan or diced feta cheese (in this case do not add any salt in the recipe)
– Sauté other vegetables, about 2 cups: diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, diced tomatoes, cut-up asparagus, diced red pepper, grated carrots, etc.
– Add about 2 cups diced cooked potatoes, frozen corn, small frozen or fresh cauliflower or broccoli florets, diced frozen artichoke hearts, diced cooked or smoked chicken, or diced cooked fish.
– Use other seasonings: thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc