Happy St Patrick’s Day! Having shared a couple of Welsh recipes for St David’s Day earlier this month, it seemed only right that I shared an Irish recipe for today. And what is a more iconic Irish bake than Soda Bread?
Similar to that of our Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith recipes, I was keen to seek the advice of some Irish friends before delving too deeply into the world of Soda Bread and claiming to be an expert in a field that isn’t my usual Scottish domain. Lucky for me, I have a good number of Irish friends.
Did you know that 90% of optometrists working in Scotland are from Ireland? Ok, that’s maybe not a fact (it might be!) but from my experience of working in optics for nearly a decade, I can honestly say that the overwhelming majority of optometrists that I worked with did grow up in Ireland. And they are the sole reason for me now over-using the word “grand”.
Authentic Scottish Bakeries Buttermilk Soda Farls 2x90g
Despite having not worked with eyes in 5 years (!!) now, I still keep contact with a good few of them, a couple of whom were more than happy to assist with my Soda Bread questions.
Soda Bread is a yeast-free bread, made with just a few ingredients, with no need to knead; meaning it can be made and baked in as little as 40 minutes [total time].
Unlike yeast breads, soda bread relies on the reaction between the bicarbonate of soda and the acid in the buttermilk to give it it’s rise, as well as it’s familiar flavour.
Irwin's Together Brown Soda Bread 400g
In terms of texture, it is quite a dense bread and slightly chewy. It has a crunchy crust when freshly baked but if stored in an air-tight container, or wrapped in cling film, this quickly softens. Soda bread is perhaps not a go-to for sandwiches but it is perfect for toast, or to accompany a bowl of soup. Or, of course, simply sliced thick and slathered in butter!
When first researching soda bread recipes and tips, I kept coming across one variant that was either a must-have ingredient, or one that had no place.
One – who is a bit of soda bread connoisseur, and who despite living in Scotland for well over a decade still has a loaf of Soda Bread sent over to her every month – was quick to say a prompt
Traditional Northern Irish Soda Farls
The other – who is quite literally the most Irish person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing – offered us some stellar advice…
So there you have it. Straight from two Irish optometrists. One from Northern Ireland, one from Ireland (if that makes any difference…?).
Both in agreement that Irish Soda Bread doesn’t have raisins in it. No judgement from me, a Scottish lass, should you wish to add a handful to yours though. Potentially judgement from them though. In fact, definitely judgement from one. That’s just who he is.
Scottish Bannock {vegan} Recipe By E. Frame
Although plain flour can be used in a pinch for our Easy Bread, generally a bread recipe would call for a bread flour, or a “strong” flour. For soda bread however, using a flour with a higher concentrate of protein (ie. gluten) – such as a bread/strong flour – is a waste. A simple plain flour is all that is required! You can also use a wholemeal flour, or even a combination of wholemeal and white flour, should you so desire.
Being a yeast-free bread, soda bread relies on the reaction between the bicarbonate of soda and the acid in the buttermilk to create bubbles whilst baking, resulting in a lift and rise in the bread dough. It’s a fun bit of science, all within a humble loaf of bread!
For flavour of course. I recommend using sea salt but you can experiment with different kinds of salt to get your perfect flavour. Hawkhead Whisky Smoked Salt in particular is to die for in Soda Bread – trust me!
Molasses Soda Bread
If we’re going for a traditional soda bread, it has to be buttermilk. Buttermilk already has it’s own acidity to it, so reacts perfectly with the bicarbonate of soda – no additional ingredients required.
If however you can’t get hold of buttermilk, or you want the option to make it without, you can substitute with a standard milk (preferably whole-fat or soya, although others can be used too), and a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice, to create the missing acidity. I would always recommend using slightly less milk in this instance, as buttermilk tends to be naturally thicker. See the recipe notes for more info.
• Much like scones, Soda Bread needs a light touch. You don’t want to overwork your dough, or you risk knocking the air out of it before it’s had a chance to bake. The less you can handle it, the better – you want the dough to be just combined and no more.
Soda Bread And Apple Jelly
• Some people assume that the cross cut into the top of your loaf has religious connotations but that’s not the case – it’s simply to aid in the rising and baking of your bread. Without it, it would be too heavy to rise sufficiently and burnt on the outside, whilst still being doughy in the middle. Using a sharp knife will give you the most uniform cross cut.
• If possible, allow your bread to cool for 30 minutes before slicing. It can be tempting to tuck in straight away, but cutting too soon can risk the loaf collapsing and seeming doughy & under-baked.
If you are unable to get buttermilk locally, or would prefer a dairy-free option: Simply switch out the buttermilk for 250ml of milk, mixed with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, or 1 tbsp lemon juice. Mix about 30 minutes before using to allow the milk to thicken ever-so slightly.
Lentil Soup & Soda Bread Recipe
Nut-free: There is no nuts in this recipe for Soda Bread but be sure to double check your individual ingredients for any hidden nuts.
Dairy-free: To make this Soda Bread dairy-free, use 250ml of your dairy-free milk of choice (in place of the buttermilk in the recipe), mixed with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Prepare your milk mixture about 30 minutes before, which will allow your milk to thicken ever-so slightly.Irish soda bread scones, whether they be traditional Irish or Scottish, (also referred to as white bannocks) aren’t just for St Patrick’s Day! After you try this recipe, soda scones may become a favorite in your household quite quickly!
Do your own google search if you don’t believe me, but it’s true. I’ll give you a minute. See, I told you!
Homemade Irish Soda Bread Recipe (brown Bread)
And if that’s not news to you, did you also know that he was Italian? Just like me–born in Scotland to Italian parents! How cool is that? Now that you’ve learned something new, let’s get to the Irish soda bread scones.
I’m going to show you how to make a quick and easy recipe for soda scones to celebrate the day of the patron saint of Ireland. Both the Irish and Scots make these versatile scones, or white bannocks.
Irish soda bread scones, or white bannocks, can be split in half and fried for breakfast. Or they can be served as a traditional afternoon tea scone, with jam and cream, or toasted and spread with some good quality salted butter (I like Kerrygold, and it’s Irish) for a wonderful snack.
Classic Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Favorite way of eating soda scones is the traditional way: frying them. It’s usually done in the same pan after cooking some bacon (YUM)! This doesn’t necessarily have to be served before 9 am–I mean, who doesn’t have breakfast for dinner now and then?
A few days ago, a friend (who is originally from Scotland) gave me a book to borrow, called Maw Broon’s Cookbook. I
This book! Children in Scotland (including me) used to receive a comic/cartoon book at Christmas called “Oor Wullie” or “The Broons.” Maw Broon (Mother Brown) was the matriarch of “The Broons” (The Browns), and she and Paw had 8 children.
Traditional Irish Soda Bread
This cookbook is a representation of her supposed actual cookbook, complete with tape, marks, tea stains, handwritten recipes and notes and scribbles and drawings by her “weans” (children).
After perusing the book, I decided to try the Scottish soda scone recipe. Super simple, very quick to make, and almost perfect (I’ve made a few changes–sorry, Maw, noo (now) they’re pehrrrfect!)
Sift all the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl, holding the sieve high above the bowl to get as much air into the mixture as possible.
Irish Soda Bread (no Yeast Bread) The Bossy Kitchen
Then mix to a fairly soft dough, first with a spatula, then with your hands.Dough will be a bit sticky, but don’t overwork it, or the scones won’t turn out light.
Cook the Irish soda bread scones on a hot griddle or non-stick pan on high, for about 5 minutes, then turn, lower the heat and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
These turned out very large, so you can make half the recipe, or make 8 Scottish bannocks with the full recipe, too, if you prefer a smaller size.
Soda Bread With Pesto & Olives
Serve as desired, as part of a Scottish or Irishbreakfast, or with afternoon
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