Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
INSTRUCTION
Preheat the oven 220’C / 425’F / Gas Mark 7. Lightly grease a baking tray.
Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the most of the buttermilk.
Mix well together using your hands. The dough should be very soft but no too wet. If necessary, add the remaining buttermilk.
Turn out the dough onto lightly floured surface and knead it lightly. Shape into a 20-cm / 8-inch round.
Place the bread on the preheated baking tray, cut a cross in the top and bake in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes. Test that the loaf is cooked by tapping on the base with your knuckles – it should sound hollow.
INGREDIENTS
- Butter, for greasing
- 450 g / 1 lb Plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 400 ml / 14 fl oz Buttermilk
Making & Baking 