A loaf of bread takes too long to make — and isn’t it fattening, too? So why bother? Irish soda bread says phooey to both these ideas. With baking soda instead of yeast, you can bake a loaf in less than an hour.
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Description:
This is a great recipe from Canadian Living for Irish Soda Bread. It would be perfect with one of our momstown meals – Guinness stew or pot roast.
With buttermilk and whole wheat flour, this dense, moist bread fits very nicely into a healthy diet. Here's a master recipe with two variations — one with honey and fruit and one with cheese and onion.
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp flax seeds or sesame seeds
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt salt
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Topping
1 tbsp all purpose flour
Directions:
In large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flax seeds, sugar, baking soda and salt.
In small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and oil. Add to dry ingredients all at once; stir with fork until soft dough forms.
On lightly floured surface and with floured hands, press dough into ball; knead lightly 10 times. Place on greased baking sheet; gently pat out dough into 6-inch (15 cm) circle.
Topping: Sprinkle flour over loaf.
With sharp knife, score large X on top of loaf.
Bake in centre of 375ºF (190ºC) oven for about 45 minutes or until golden and tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
Variations:
Honey Apricot Soda Bread: Omit sugar and flax seeds. Increase all-purpose flour to 2-1/4 cups (550 mL). Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) each chopped dried apricots and raisins to dry ingredients. Add 1/3 cup (75 mL) liquid honey to liquid ingredients.
Topping: Omit flour. After baking, let soda bread stand on rack for 15 minutes. Mix together 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar and 2 tbsp (25 mL) orange juice; drizzle over loaf.
Cheese and Onion Soda Bread: Omit flax seeds and topping. Add 1 cup (250 mL) shredded old Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped green onion and pinch cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients.
