Irish Soda Bread: Or, the best things to bake on Sunday morning

Irish soda bread takes about three minutes to mix up (literally) and just 30 minutes to bake (no rising time). It's great for the impatient baker. The hardest part about this recipe is not cutting a slice as soon as it is pulled from the oven, hot, golden, crunchy…

If you can manage, allow the bread to rest and cool for 15 minutes before eating slice after slice with lashings of butter.




Click here to watch JennyB demo this recipe

Basic, perfect soda bread

12 ounces self-rising flour

½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

½ teaspoon salt

½ pint buttermilk

Couple of tablespoons flour for kneading

This basic recipe is awesome as is, but you could also add a handful of grated sharp cheese, like mature cheddar, aged Gouda or Parmesan (scatter some over top before baking, too), or a handful or dried fruit. A teaspoon or two of dried herbs, like dill weed or caraway and a minced shallot or small onion.

1) Pre-heat oven to 200C (400F). Grab a large bowl and mix the dry ingredients together, stir in the buttermilk. If you are adding in cheese, dried fruit or herbs, mix those in now. Sprinkle over a bit more flour and knead for a minute or two (the dough will be wet, not like bread or pizza dough).

2) Turn the dough out onto a baking tray lined with parchment or a non-stick baking liner, shape roughly into a circle and cut a cross into the top. If you want the loaf to be shiny, brush with a whisked egg. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the loaf sounds hallow when the bottom is tapped.