Irish Soda Bread | Ina Garten

The Irish soda bread from Ina Garten is the American version of the traditional Irish soda bread. Instead of the conventional whole wheat, we use 100% all-purpose flour to make the bread less dense and more cake-like. In addition, it carries a light sweetness prominently accented by the dry currants popping up throughout the crumb. There is also an egg in the recipe, which leavens as well as tenderizes the crumb and lightens the texture.

In general, the unifying alchemy between the old-world and the American version of soda bread remains unchanged. What characterizes soda bread is the use of baking soda as a leavening agent. Furthermore, the acidity of buttermilk, another critical ingredient, reacts to the bicarbonate of soda to enlarge the bubbles in the batter, making the dough rise.

Talking about dough rise, it didn’t work out that way for me. At least, not on the first attempt I made the soda bread, which came out hard as a rock. It was disheartening! At the time, I didn’t quite understand the workings of soda bread, thinking that it’s an easy bread to do.

Ever since my first foray into soda bread, I’ve learned my lessons well. Here are a few tips that’d make you successful from the start:

• Don’t overwork the dough: Leavening starts to work as soon as baking soda meets the acidity of the buttermilk. So it’s important to work fast. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded or overworked. Work with it gently; it’s supposed to be slightly shaggy in texture. (The dough does not need to come together smoothly or tightly like most bread doughs.) The dough will be wet and sticky, just scoop up the mass with a bench knife, in more or less a round shape. Then place it in the oven without delay.
• Use a cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet works best to give the bread a crisp crust on the bottom. It prevents the bread from spreading too much. Meanwhile, a baking sheet or a pizza stone also works.
• Score the cross: Using a sharp knife, score the top of the dough with a cross before baking. That helps steam escape the bread from the center of the dough and improves the rise.

Print Recipe

Irish Soda Bread | Ina Garten

Serves: makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for the currants
• 4 tablespoons (50g) sugar (if you like your bread less sweet, use just 2 or 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (56g or 1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 3/4 cups (424g) cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup dried currants

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cast-iron skillet or a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

3

With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

4

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared cast-iron skillet or sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.

5

Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/irish-soda-bread-4664619