St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and if you’re looking for a way to celebrate that involves baking and enjoying bread (and who isn’t?), you may want to whip up a loaf of Irish soda bread this year.
There is a lot to love about Irish soda bread. It’s easy to make, it only requires a few ingredients, and if you’re a little pressed for time, you can have a hot, fresh loaf of bread on the table in just about an hour. Check out this recipe from Lets Dish Recipes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the dough comes together in a slightly sticky ball.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently a few times. Form the dough into a ball and then press into the prepared pan so that the dough resembles a large disk. The dough should reach the edges of the pan, but may spring back slightly.
- Cut an X into the dough with a sharp knife, about 1/4 of an inch deep. Cover the pan of dough with another round cake pan turned upside down. (Why an X? Legend has it that the cross was cut on the top before baking to ward off the devil and protect the household, so best not to forget this!)
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, covered, then remove the top pan and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes more or until the crust is dark golden brown.
Now it’s not unheard of for Irish soda bread to include some raisins, currants, or carraway seed. But the thing is, once you add these things, we’re immediately craving a little something sweeter than bread. So if you too have a sweet tooth or perhaps a Spring brunch coming up, you’ll want to give this recipe for Irish soda bread scones from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen a shot.
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 1 teaspoon, divided all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold and diced
- 1/2 cup currants
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 cup buttermilk, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work butter into flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- In a small bowl, mix together currants and 1 teaspoons flour.
- Place currants, carraway seeds, buttermilk and orange zest into flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Careful not to over mix.
- Using a large scoop or a 1/3 measure cup, scoop mounds of dough onto prepared pan, spacing 3 inches apart.
- In another small bowl, mix together egg and milk to create an egg wash. Brush egg wash all over the tops of the scones.
- Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool completely on sheet pan.