Soda bread does not use yeast to get its rise, instead the rise comes from baking soda reacting with the acid (soured milk or buttermilk). This makes it a 'quick' bread that can be made in under 15 minutes. The important thing to remember is to have mix and knead the dough quickly and lightly. This will give you a bread that is dense, but not doughy, with a tender, slightly moist interior. Once the dough is formed into a round, a cross is cut on the top of the bread, which divides it into quarters called farls.