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Irish Soda Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 8
This Irish soda bread recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! Serve slices alongside your favorite soup or slathered with butter or jam. This bread is best on the day it's baked. I recommend slicing and freezing it for longer storage. The frozen slices make fantastic toast!

Ingredients

  • 1⅓ cups buttermilk*
  • 1 large egg
  • 3½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (438g), plus more for kneading
  • 2 tablespoons cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • Scant 1 cup dried currants or raisins, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat. Use your hands to work the butter into the flour mixture until it is in roughly pea-sized pieces. Add the currants, if using, and stir to coat in the flour.
  • Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form it into a ball. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. If it is very sticky, knead in a bit more flour. If it feels dry, add a bit more buttermilk.
  • Transfer the dough ball to the baking sheet and use a sharp knife to score the top with a ½-inch-deep cross. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and it makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom. If it is browning too quickly before it is cooked through, tent it with foil and continue to bake.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Notes

*If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, you can replace it with a combination of milk (any kind) and lemon juice or vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and pour in your milk of choice to the 1⅓ cup line. Let stand for 5 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.