Posted by Caryn Bailey 8 Comments
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Waking up to the smell of fresh bread is one of my favorite sensory experiences, initiated when I was a child and reinforced during my travels abroad. During a trip to Ireland, I stayed in a series of bed and breakfasts which introduced me to the local culture and way of life. Along with offering a more authentic experience, each stay included a traditional Irish breakfast complete with Irish Soda Bread or Irish Brown Bread. Both of these varieties quickly became a favorite of mine because of their hearty, complex flavors and textures.
Fresh, homemade bread is admittedly time-consuming, particularly if done correctly. I rarely purchase sliced, store-bought varieties because the flavor and texture just cannot compare to fresh bread. My solution was to invest in a bread machine, which makes it practically impossible to fail, particularly if I’m following a recipe.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to make a one hour Irish Soda Bread recipe in my bread machine. Traditionally, this quick bread contained baking soda, yeast, flour, salt, and buttermilk with optional additions of butter, eggs, raisins and/or nuts. In addition to the traditional ingredients, I added caraway seeds and currants for complexity and depth and replaced a third of the flour with whole wheat flour. Serve this bread with plenty of pure Irish butter and you will have to exercise control to avoid eating it all in one sitting.
Ideally, this bread should be mixed, formed into a ball, criss-crossed across the top and baked. However, if you use the Quick Bread Cycle on your bread machine, the result will be comparable and you won’t likely notice a difference in texture or flavor. If your bread machine has a delay cycle, set it one hour before your wake-up timeand you’ll enjoy theheavenly scent of fresh, homemadebread as you rise.
Here is my One Hour Irish Soda Bread Recipe!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2cupwater
- 1cup+ 2 T buttermilk
- 2eggslightly beaten
- 2Tbutter
- 2Tmolasses
- 1cupwhole wheat flour
- 2cupscake or bread flour
- 1/2tspbaking soda
- 1 1/2tspsalt
- 2tspof Fleischmann's RapidRise Highly Active Yeast
- 2tspcaraway seeds
- 1cupcurrants
- Serve with Irish butter and jam
Instructions
Place all ingredients in the bread machine, ensuring that the liquid ingredients are at the bottom and the dry ingredients are on the top
Set bread machine to Quick Bread cycle
Allow bread to set for 10 minutes before removing it from the bread machine
Serve warm with Irish butter and jam
In the span of one week, I’ve already made this Irish Soda Bread recipe twice. I can serve it with scrambled eggs and fruit for my kids for a complete meal that is hearty, healthy, and absolutely delicious. Using the bread machine practically guarantees results, and because the machine does the work for you, no baking skills are required.
While I think this bread is ideal just as it says, I always like to share some notes and tips:
1. Remember to pour the flour into your measuring cup so that it isn’t packed, which can alter the texture of the bread
2. You can substitute dark honey for the molasses, if desired
3. I like to create a small crater in my flour for the yeast so that it doesn’t interact with the liquid ingredients until the bread machine begins working
4. If you have difficulty finding currants, you could easily substitute raisins or sultanas
Looking for additional St. Patrick’s Day Recipes? Check out these inspired ideas from the other Walmart Moms!
Chocolate Mint Poke Cake
Low Carb Bangers and Mash
Pot O Gold Brownies
Fruit Skewers
Asparagus Leek Soup
Leprechaun Hat Pudding
Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.
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Related
FAQs
The most traditional doneness test calls for thumping the hot bread in the center to hear if it's hollow-sounding. A more foolproof indication is temperature; the loaf will register 200°F to 205°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the center of the bread.
Is there a difference between soda bread and Irish soda bread? ›
Sweeter Soda Bread
On this side of the Atlantic, what we call "Irish soda bread" is more rich and sweet, usually studded with raisins and caraway seeds.
Why is my Irish soda bread so dense? ›
It's called Irish Soda Bread because it's made with baking soda instead of yeast. Because of this, it's more dense than your everyday white sandwich bread.
What went wrong with my soda bread? ›
If your bread tastes soapy, salty, or bitter or if the crust is too dark: You might have added too much baking soda or baking powder or used self-rising flour. If your bread's texture is dry: You might have added too much baking soda, too little liquid or not baked it at high enough temperature.
Why does Irish soda bread not need yeast? ›
The four ingredients were soft wheat flour, salt, baking soda and sour milk (buttermilk is more commonly used today). Since yeast wasn't readily available, the combination of baking soda and buttermilk acted as the leavening agent, causing the bread to rise.
Why does my Irish soda bread not rise? ›
Not preheating your oven long enough will mean thst it isn't hot enough to get a good rise. Make sure the oven is up to temperature before you begin mixing the dough. Using a baking stone for good bottom heat will help your bread rise, but it needs at least 45 minutes to soak up the heat of the oven.
Is soda bread healthier than yeast bread? ›
Healthy bread for yeast-free diets: Soda bread
This traditional Irish bread is made with wholemeal or white flour and buttermilk and baking powder rather than yeast, so ideal for people on yeast-free diets. Wholemeal varieties are healthiest. It's also super easy to make from home, try this simple soda bread recipe.
Is soda bread better for you than yeast bread? ›
Soda bread is quick to prepare and is a low-fat, yeast-free option. It may help alleviate symptoms of bloating and discomfort. If you're new to baking or short on time, our seeded soda bread is an ideal loaf to bake at home.
Do people in Ireland eat Irish soda bread? ›
Soda bread is a type of bread that uses baking soda instead of yeast as a leavening agent. It is a traditional bread in Ireland and has been a staple food for many Irish families for centuries.
What's the difference between Irish bread and Irish soda bread? ›
Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour. Soda bread is slightly sweet and more scone-like while Irish brown bread is more savory with a tender interior.
Baking soda is a leavening agent, which means it helps the bread rise by producing carbon dioxide gas when it reacts with acids in the batter. Here's what could happen if you use too much baking soda: Bitter Taste: Excessive baking soda can leave a bitter taste in the bread.
What do you do if your Irish soda bread dough is too sticky? ›
If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife or bread lame, score the dough with a slash or X about 1/2 inch deep.
Is soda bread good for your gut? ›
This soda bread recipe – which uses bicarbonate of soda rather than yeast – allows you to whip up delicious home-made bread quickly, and give your gut health a massive boost in the process. “Soda bread lends itself beautifully to healthy loaves that are full of nutrition,” says nutritionist Reece Carter.
Can you leave soda bread dough overnight? ›
You don't have to wait hours or overnight for a rise, either. In fact, you don't even need to wait at all: Dough for Irish soda bread can go right into the oven after making.
Is Irish soda bread supposed to be doughy in the middle? ›
Chances are good that the bread you ate suffered from one of three common problems: improper amount of baking soda (a gross, salty-bitter taste), over cooking (a dry, chalky texture), or undercooking (a soggy, doughy center).
At what internal temperature is Irish soda bread done? ›
Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the interior of the bread will measure 200°F to 210° on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven, loosen its edges, and after 5 minutes turn it out onto a rack to cool.
What consistency should soda bread be? ›
The best Irish soda bread, like this recipe, has a golden brown crust with a dense, tight crumb. The bread isn't heavy, it's actually quite tender and soft inside. The crust is nice and crisp when it comes out of the oven and becomes a little chewy on day 2 and 3. It's so good.
Is Irish soda bread supposed to be dry? ›
Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread, similar to a scone, but can easily become dry if overmixed. Quickly add the wet ingredients to a well you've made in the dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a dough hook until it just comes together.
