Irish Soda Bread, made with caraway seeds which add a warm, sweet and slightly peppery aroma to the bread.
Preheat oven to 210°C, fan-bake. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and caraway seeds in a large bowl until completely blended.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers (or in a food processor) until combined.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Slowly fold in the flour mixture over the buttermilk with a spatula until just combined. Don't over mix as it will make the bread dense.
The dough needs to be similar to a scone dough so if it's looking too dry, add a little more buttermilk. On a floured surface, cup the dough mixture into a ball shape. Don't over work.
Put the dough into a greased baking tray and make criss-cross cuts around 3cm deep. This helps the heat to be distributed evenly.
Put in the middle of the oven at 210°C (fan-bake) for 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 190°C (fan-bake) for a further 25 minutes. To test if your bread is cooked, turn it over and knock on the bottom. The crust should sound hollow.
Let the bread rest for 10 minutes to cool on the baking tray and then move to a cooling rack. It is best to eat when still warm with lots of butter!
This bread needs to be eaten quickly, however, if you don't finish the loaf before it gets old, try making garlic croutons with Mrs Rogers Garlic Salt!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 210°C, fan-bake. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and caraway seeds in a large bowl until completely blended.
Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers (or in a food processor) until combined.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Slowly fold in the flour mixture over the buttermilk with a spatula until just combined. Don't over mix as it will make the bread dense.
The dough needs to be similar to a scone dough so if it's looking too dry, add a little more buttermilk. On a floured surface, cup the dough mixture into a ball shape. Don't over work.
Put the dough into a greased baking tray and make criss-cross cuts around 3cm deep. This helps the heat to be distributed evenly.
Put in the middle of the oven at 210°C (fan-bake) for 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 190°C (fan-bake) for a further 25 minutes. To test if your bread is cooked, turn it over and knock on the bottom. The crust should sound hollow.
Let the bread rest for 10 minutes to cool on the baking tray and then move to a cooling rack. It is best to eat when still warm with lots of butter!
This bread needs to be eaten quickly, however, if you don't finish the loaf before it gets old, try making garlic croutons with Mrs Rogers Garlic Salt!