Easy Irish Soda Bread

Recipe Courtesy of BBC Food & James Martin

Irish soda bread, with its dense crumb and crisp, flour-dusted crust, is as much a symbol of Ireland as its green fields and stone walls. Born from necessity, it relies on baking soda rather than yeast, reflecting a time when soft wheat and buttermilk were staples in rural homes. Families scored a cross atop each loaf, a gesture said to bless the bread or ward off harm. Baked daily on hearths, it endures as a humble, living link between Ireland’s past and present. Today, whether served with butter, jam, or alongside stews, it carries memory, resilience, and rhythms of life.

INGREDIENTS

• 170g/6oz wholemeal flour

• 170g/6oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 290ml/10fl oz buttermilk

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and stir. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)

3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.

4. Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

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