Tag Archives: Soda Bread

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Irish Soda Bread

So every year I do a post on 17 or 7 Irish heroes in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, and each post I mention how I will be making Irish Soda Bread.

It is so good-and I usually spend the rest of the week eating the bread for breakfast with my tea.

So this year I decided it is time for me to actually share the recipe I use, borrowed from my sister blog MysteriousEats.wordpress.com, so you can make your own for the holiday.

Ingredients:

  • Shortening
  • 2.5 Cups of All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for later
  • 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons of Butter
  • About 1 Cup of Buttermilk
  • Additional Butter, Softened

Directions:

  1. Heat Oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Grease cookie sheet with shortening.
  3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter, using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs.
  5. Stir in just enough buttermilk so dough leaves the side of the bowl.
  6. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, gently roll the dough to coat.
  7. Knead 1 to 2 mins, or until smooth.
  8. Shape into a round loaf, about 6.5 inches in diameter.
  9. Place on the cookie sheet. Cut an X shape about 1/2 inch deep through loaf with floured knife.
  10. Bake 35-45 mins or until golden brown.
  11. Remove from cookie sheet.
  12. Brush with additional softened butter.
  13. Cool completely, about 30 mins, before cutting.

It was delicious! I ended up making two (gotta use up that buttermilk) one for me and one for my Sunday School class. I wasn’t sure the kids would like the bread, but they surprised me and ate almost the whole entire thing.

Or in this case, bread

One thing that I find fascinating is that the the “X” you cut into the bread traditionally was supposed to represent a cross. With the cross on the bread, and bread representing the body of Christ- Irish Soda Bread always makes me think of communion and The Last Supper. Maybe I should make it for Good Friday this year as well?

Well if you make it for Saint Patrick’s Day or just to eat, for yourself or others-I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 🙂 I can’t stop eating it.

And an early-Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

For more bread recipes, go to Slow-Cooker Bread

For more recipes, go to Iced Blackberry Infused Earl Grey Tea