Real Irish Soda Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with melted butter or spray with non-stick spray.
• Combine dry ingredients in a deep bowl. Gradually stir in 1 cup buttermilk, beating constantly, until dough is firm enough to be gathered into a ball. If dough crumbles, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it holds together.
• Place on a lightly floured board and pat into an 8-inch flattened round loaf.
• Place loaf on baking sheet and slash a 1/2-inch deep "X" into the top of the dough with a small, sharp knife.
• Bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
• Butter and flour a pie plate or round cake pan.
• Sprinkle uncooked oats on the bottom of the pan.
• Combine dry ingredients and currants.
• Mix melted butter, eggs and then buttermilk and sour cream.
• Stir in dry ingredients only until incorporated.
• Put dough into a prepared pie pan, in a mound with a rounded top.
• Cut an X in the top of the loaf.
• Bake for 50 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
• With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
• Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
• Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
• Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices - or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and caraway seeds until well combined.
• Using a pastry cutter or two knives in scissor fashion, cut in butter until the mixture feels like coarse meal. Stir in raisins until evenly distributed.
• In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and baking soda until well combined. Pour buttermilk mixture into the flour-and-butter mixture all at once, and stir with a fork until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture begins to hold together. It should resemble a rough biscuit dough. Using your hands, press the dough into a round, dome-shaped loaf about 8 inches in diameter. Lift the loaf from the bowl, and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and cream together. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the loaf. With a sharp knife or razor, incise a cross, about 1/2 inch deep, into the top of the loaf. Transfer to the oven. Bake, rotating halfway through, until it is deep golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 70 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer bread from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Using your hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not wet and sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, then pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place it on a buttered baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough reaching out all the way to the sides.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
• Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter gently into the flour mixture until well combined, and stir in the raisins. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together; lightly beat the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Place the dough into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bread has risen and the top is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. A knife inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Sieve flour, salt and soda into a bowl. Add sugar if used.
• Rub in the margarine to resemble breadcrumbs, lifting mixture with fingertips to introduce air to the dough.
• Add sufficient buttermilk and mix to make a soft dough.
• Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead a little.
• Turn the smooth side up and shape into a round. Place the dough on a floured tin.
• Cut a cross over the top.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven, 400°F 200°C Gas 6 for 40-45 minutes.
• When baked the underneath when "tapped" should have a hollow sound.
• Cool on a wire tray. Cover with a tea towel to give a soft crust.

Steps:

• Heat a heavy skillet, griddle, or cast-iron frying pan over medium-low heat.
• Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl, and sift in the baking soda. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour in the buttermilk. Stir the mixture quickly together into a dough, and turn out onto a floured work surface. Knead the dough a few times, just until it comes together. Gently form the dough into a flattened, round cake about 1/2 inch thick, and cut the round into quarters with a floured knife.
• Sprinkle a little bit of flour into the bottom of the hot skillet, and cook the wedges 6 to 8 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk together 1 egg and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Shape into a 6-1/2-in. round loaf; place on a greased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cross in top of loaf. Whisk remaining egg; brush over top., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Place wholemeal in a large mixing bowl.
• Sieve in Cream flour, salt, soda and sugar (if used).
• Add buttermilk and oil.
• Mix well.
• Transfer to a well greased 2lb loaf tin.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C, 325°F, Gas 3 for approximately 1 hour.
• Bread will be baked if base sounds hollow when tapped.
• Cool on a wire tray. For a soft crust, wrap bread in a clean tea towel.
• Variations for bread In preparation, after adding the buttermilk and oil, add 50g/2oz chopped walnuts and 50g/2oz chopped dried apricots; When adding buttermilk and oil, add 1 tablespoon of treacle; Add 50g/2oz of grated cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients.