Irish Soda Bread Recipe
A traditional, shaggy-style Irish Soda Bread that requires no yeast and no rising time. This recipe yields a thick, golden crust with a soft, biscuit-like interior, studded with sweet raisins for a classic touch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – 4 cups
Granulated sugar – 1/4 cup
Sea salt – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Cold unsalted butter – 6 Tbsp
Cold lowfat buttermilk or kefir – 1 3/4 cups
Large egg (cold) – 1
Raisins or dried cranberries – 1 cup
Extra butter for greasing – 1/2 Tbsp
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1/2 Tbsp butter.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the raisins, ensuring they are evenly distributed and not clumped together.
In a separate measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk and egg until combined.
Create a well in the flour and pour in the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon until just moistened.
Turn dough onto a floured surface. Gently shape into a round loaf. Do not over-knead.
Place in the skillet and score a deep ‘X’ on top with a sharp knife.
Bake for 50-55 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
• Use very cold butter and liquids for the best texture.
• If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice to regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Avoid over-mixing the dough to prevent the bread from becoming tough.
• The deep ‘X’ is essential for allowing the center of the bread to cook through.
Find it online: https://sweetcraftrecipes.com/irish-soda-bread/