Soda Bread!

This post on EpiCurious made us chuckle today. But why are there sunflower seeds in your soda bread? What made us salivate was the (ridiculously simple) recipe, forwarded by a friend, for the very same Irish classic. Forget corned beef and cabbage. We’re eating soda bread today! Here’s the recipe:

Here’s a very simple and delicious and quick (and historical) irish soda bread recipe from The Society For The Preservation of Irish Soda Bread… make some tonight! in this recipe, you simulate the ancient/traditional irish bastible pot by using a dutch oven or 2 cake pans together… maybe 2 bread pans would work too…

irish soda bread
4 cups all-purpose flour (though you can use any kind… i used spelt/oat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 oz (which is 2 and 3/4 cup) buttermilk

preheat oven to 425 degrees.
lightly grease and flour a cake pan/dutch oven bottom.

in a large bowl combine all dry ingredients.

add the buttermilk to form a sticky dough. place on floured surface and lightly, lightly knead (too much allows the gas to escape…) to make smooth/even. (add more flour/milk as needed.)

shape into a round, flat shape in the cake pan or dutch oven and cut a big X in the top of the dough.

cover the pan with the other pan face down (or put dutch oven top on) and bake for 25-30 minutes. remove top and bake until done… perhaps another 10-15 minutes depending how crisp and brown you want it.

the bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped when done.

cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist…

best served warm with butter and jam! also good dipped in things like cabbage soup. does not last long since there aren’t any preservatives… and because it’s super delicious!

Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day [Epi Log]
Society for the preservation of Irish Soda Bread
Photo credit: Zurika [Flickr]

Soda Bread!