Description
A classic and easy-to-make Irish soda bread recipe featuring a tender crumb and a crisp crust, perfect for beginners. This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and bakes quickly in a cast iron skillet, resulting in a traditional bread with optional dried currants for a hint of sweetness.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups (510 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
- 1 cup dried currants (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1¾ cups (410 g) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Additional
- Room temperature butter (for greasing skillet)
- Flour (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat and mix dry ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, sugar, baking soda, and dried currants if you are using them, ensuring even distribution.
- Combine wet ingredients and incorporate. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg and buttermilk together. Stir in the melted butter until fully combined. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Prepare the skillet and shape the dough. Grease a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet with softened butter. Lightly flour your hands and the work surface. Using floured hands, scrape the sticky dough from the bowl and quickly shape it into a ball, kneading lightly if necessary. Transfer the dough ball to the prepared skillet. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on top, then use a sharp knife to cut a deep ‘X’ across the dough’s surface to help it bake evenly.
- Bake until golden and hollow-sounding. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the bread is lightly golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. This indicates the bread is fully baked.
- Cool before slicing and storage. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. To store, place the bread in an airtight container or ziplock bag. It keeps well at room temperature for 3-4 days and can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Notes
- For a whole grain version, you can replace part or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour; this will change the texture and flavor slightly.
- Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for best results; measurements may differ if using other salt types.
- Buttermilk acidity is key to react with baking soda for proper rising; substitute with milk plus lemon juice or vinegar if necessary.
- The 'X' scored on top helps the bread cook evenly and is traditional in Irish soda bread.
- Soda bread is best eaten fresh but can be toasted the next day for renewed freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
