There are many mysteries associated with Irish soda bread. His recipes are passed down from generation to generation. There are many options for preparing this aromatic pastry. Moreover, only one or two ingredients change in them. This replacement changes the taste of the bread, but does not spoil it at all. It is noteworthy that the ancient Irish, before sending the dough into the oven, pressed a cross to its top. The tradition of depicting such a figure, but only with a knife, has survived to this day.
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What kind of bread is this
The history of the appearance of Irish soda bread is closely connected with the import of soda to Ireland. Local cereals are too low in gluten (gluten or wheat protein), without which the dough will never be elastic and will not rise during baking.
Since 1846, bakers began to actively use soda in baking, thanks to which bread and buns turned out fluffy and had a porous structure. Despite the fact that flour with a high gluten content soon began to be brought into the country, the tradition of baking soda bread did not disappear and did not lose popularity.
Photo: epicurious.com.
Important details:
- Flour plays an important role in Irish bread (the country even has mills that are equipped with stone millstones and water wheels);
- you cannot knead the dough for too long (Irish bakers touch it as gently and carefully as possible, which results in a fluffy and porous structure);
- flour is added to the dough with a kind of shaking (the presence of air in the dough is also important).
Irish soda bread is a traditional baked product with a rich aroma, airy structure and a bright, memorable taste. It is noteworthy that bakers in this country prepare the dough almost by eye, without using measuring containers. The cooking process resembles the movements of a magician. Everything happens in a matter of minutes.
Why put out the soda?
Cornbread
Many people have heard or read about tacos, so beloved by American farmers and gold miners.
They were kneaded from corn flour with the addition of baking soda and baked in dry pans without adding oil. This is a tasty and healthy dish that can be stored for a long time.
You can diversify the taste of corn bread with ham, cheese, nuts or seeds, dried fruits and fresh berries.
To make homemade cornbread you will need:
- corn flour - 1 cup with top,
- chicken eggs – 2 pcs,
- skimmed milk – 200 g,
- soda and salt - half a teaspoon each,
- sugar -1 tbsp.
Mix milk, egg, salt, sugar, soda in a convenient bowl and mix. Pour flour into the mixture in a thin stream, stirring gently with a fork, being careful not to beat.
The dough will be liquid, so it is better to bake it in small molds. You can use ceramic or silicone. Pre-lubricate them with vegetable oil.
Mix the dough again and carefully pour into the molds.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake until done.
Expert opinion
Advice!
If you don’t like baked goods, then replace the milk with warm water and exclude eggs from the recipe, and change the taste with red pepper or cinnamon (0.5 tsp each).
Real Irish Bread Recipe
Irish bread made according to a standard recipe is enough to treat 4-8 people. The classic recipe has a minimum number of ingredients.
You can make bread sweet by using raisins. But for a more traditional taste, it is better to replace this ingredient with caraway seeds. To obtain the desired consistency, the proportions must be observed in strict accordance with the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 standard glasses of flour;
- 1/3 cup sugar;
- a glass of buttermilk (or kefir);
- half a glass of raisins;
- one glass of oatmeal;
- 5 g salt (1 tsp);
- 20 g soda (1 tbsp);
- half a glass of nuts;
- 50 g butter.
Step by step recipe:
- In one container, mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt and soda (grind the ingredients thoroughly using a blender).
- Add butter, previously cut into small cubes, to the preparation (to make the butter soft, it needs to be kept at room temperature for some time).
- The next ingredients will be buttermilk, nuts and raisins (pre-chop the nuts).
- Place the workpiece in a greased form, making cross-shaped stripes in the center with a knife (be sure to sprinkle a small amount of flour on top).
- It is recommended to bake bread at a temperature of 180 °C in the oven. It will be ready as soon as the crust appears golden brown.
Classic recipe for charlotte with apples and soda.
Additives to soda bread
Flour
For soda bread, you can take not pure wheat flour (which we usually use for home baking), but two types - wheat and rye (or oatmeal ) in a ratio of 2:1 (2 times less flour) or 1:1 (halved) .
I decided to diversify this homemade bread with the addition of rolled oats (rolled oats) to give the baked goods a noticeable texture. The Irish do this often too.
The following proportion was obtained: flour (2 and a bit cups) + 1 cup of rolled oats.
I had to add more than 2 cups of flour to get the desired consistency of the dough - the soda bread dough should not stick to your hands. And you also focus on this indicator; if the dough is sticky, add more flour.
Instead of rolled oats, you can add bran, but in a smaller proportion, replacing about 0.5 cups of flour in the recipe (or even less).
A large amount of bran in bread reduces its digestibility. A handful is good for health and improves the taste of baked goods.
This soda bread was baked by the Irish. It's delicious to put a piece of butter on a hot slice.
Spices and other additives
The Irish sometimes add a handful of caraway seeds or raisins to their soda bread. But this is a departure from the traditional soda bread recipe. Although it's also delicious.
I added 1.5 teaspoons of sugar. I like it when there is a little sweet in the salty and a little salt in the sweet. This enlivens the taste of the dish, making it even brighter.
Best Irish Soda Bread Recipes
At the moment, there are more than three thousand recipes for Irish soda bread. There is no fundamental difference between them. The cooking principle is always the same, but only one ingredient may differ. The image of the cross also remains unchanged. Its meaning is not exactly known, but the tradition has not changed for centuries.
Another distinctive feature is the obligatory presence of a fairly thick golden brown crust on the bread.
Almond
Irish soda bread with almonds is prepared according to a traditional recipe. A distinctive feature is the addition of almonds.
For a standard amount of ingredients, you can take half a glass of nuts. If desired, their number can be increased. Almonds are poured into the preparation in whole or crushed form. Some bakers additionally add toasted almond leaves to the dough.
Grain
The principle of preparing the grain version of Irish soda bread is no different from the standard one. The main feature is the type of flour used - it must be whole grain.
The taste and shade of bread can be changed by replacing white sugar with dark cane or coconut sugar.
You can prepare baked goods from a mixture of flour, but in this case whole grain wheat (necessarily of the highest grade) should predominate.
Example of a set of ingredients:
- 450 g flour;
- 1 tsp. soda;
- 350 g of any fermented milk product;
- 20 g sugar;
- any additional component (for example: raisins, nuts, fried onions).
On kefir
The key feature of Irish bread made with kefir is the characteristic hollow sound when tapped.
Additional ingredients in the dough can be changed, but kefir must be present. The fermented milk product gives baked goods a special aroma and airy structure, despite the dense and rather thick crust.
Without kefir
If you replace kefir with water, the structure of the bread will be denser. In addition, the dough does not rise well in water, so the output volume of the loaf will decrease. This should be taken into account if you plan to treat a large number of guests.
In terms of taste, this bread is not inferior to other versions of Irish soda baked goods, but it will not have fluffy and porous pulp.
With serum
When making soda bread with whey, you can use a little trick: add baking soda not to the flour, but to the whey. Upon contact, these ingredients will react and change the taste. The taste properties of the finished bread will also differ from the classic version.
You can do a culinary experiment and try both options to compare the results. The amount of whey in the recipe corresponds to the volume of kefir, buttermilk or other fermented milk products.
On beer
Beer can be an interesting addition to the traditional recipe. The sequence of actions and the list of ingredients in this case will be different.
To the standard set of components you need to add 2 tsp. baking powder, 375 ml beer (both light and dark varieties can be used). The amount of soda is reduced - only half a teaspoon is taken. Fermented milk products are not used (they are replaced by beer).
Sequence of dough preparation: First mix flour, baking powder and oatmeal. Then the remaining components are mixed into the workpiece (the sequence can be any).
A distinctive feature of Irish beer bread is the fairly dense and moist texture of the pulp.
With milk
Kefir or buttermilk can be replaced with milk in an Irish bread recipe.
In this case, it is necessary to add a teaspoon of citric acid or vinegar to the product. Next, the preparation should be infused for fifteen minutes. And only then the dough is kneaded according to the classic recipe.
Additional ingredients can be selected at your discretion.
Pancakes with milk and soda.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a type of cream without excess fat content (usually no more than 0.7%). In traditional Irish bread recipes it is used fermented.
This fermented milk drink vaguely resembles standard yogurt. Its main role in the recipe is to ensure the airy consistency and loose structure of the bread. If you don’t have buttermilk at home, you can use kefir, yogurt, tan or ayran.
Benefits and harms
Wholemeal flour, fiber, vitamins and proteins contained in bread have a beneficial effect on the human body. The functioning of the digestive system improves, metabolic processes are restored, the appearance and health of skin, hair, nails, etc. improves.
Harm from bread can only occur if it is consumed in excess. Bread, like all flour products, should be consumed in moderation by people who are prone to obesity, those suffering from metabolic disorders, and those with diabetes.
Even novice housewives will be able to handle this dish; rest assured, you will succeed too! Cook with pleasure, bon appetit!
Famous recipes
Irish soda bread is often the subject of culinary programs. This easy-to-prepare pastry is in demand not only in its homeland. Some celebrity recipes differ from the classic version.
From Yulia Vysotskaya
In her program, Yulia Vysotskaya invited viewers to make Irish soda bread based on wheat flour with bran, kefir, roasted sunflower seeds and soda.
You will need 500 g of flour, 450 ml of kefir. Sunflower seeds can be taken in any quantity. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) will need no more than five grams. Knead the dough from the available ingredients.
The TV presenter also allowed replacing sunflower seeds with dried apricots or prunes.
From Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver's cookbook also includes a recipe for Irish soda bread. To prepare, you will additionally need chocolate drops, roasted hazelnuts and milk. A required ingredient is buttermilk.
Bake the bread for 40 minutes at 220°C, then 15 minutes at 200°C. Jamie Oliver also recommends turning the bread over at the final stage of baking and keeping it in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Ingredients and proportions:
- 300 ml buttermilk;
- a little more than half a glass of hazelnuts;
- one egg;
- 500 g flour (necessarily coarse);
- a glass of milk;
- 1 tsp. baking powder;
- 70 g chocolate drops (dark variety);
- 1 tbsp. l. oatmeal.
From Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay's cookbook describes a classic Irish soda bread recipe made with buttermilk. Additionally, the author recommends using powdered sugar. If buttermilk is not available, the product can be replaced with milk, be sure to add a teaspoon of citric acid to it.
From Paul Hollywood
Paul Hollywood also demonstrates the classic soda bread recipe in his video recipes. Its technique is no different from the standard version. The chef also talks about the possibility of using various spices in the recipe, which give the bread a piquant taste.
A little about buttermilk
The Irish only bake bread with buttermilk. For those who don't know what it is, let's say. Buttermilk is the liquid that bounces off sour cream when butter is made. The Irish ferment it, then it resembles yogurt, but you can make bread with whey, but milk or cream is not suitable.
If you don’t have these products, take full-fat kefir and dilute it to the required volume with water; you can use ayran, sour cream or other similar products.
If there is only milk in the house, there is no need to give up making bread. Heat the milk, add lemon juice or vinegar (1 tbsp), put it in a warm place and wait, after 30 minutes it will turn sour.
Are you ready to experiment a little? Then read the recipe carefully.
How to cook
There are three ways to prepare Irish soda bread - in the oven, in a bread machine or in a frying pan. Cooking time will vary. For example, baking in the oven will take from forty to fifty minutes. In the bread machine you will need to select the standard automatic mode.
Photo: Depositphotos.com. Author: VIZAFOTO.
Cooking in a frying pan has some nuances. In this case, it will not be possible to make the bread large. It will resemble buns. The dough is kneaded in any way. Then it is divided into several parts. Readiness is judged by the formation of a characteristic crust. Irish soda buns are toasted on both sides.
A taste that will be remembered for a long time
The simple food that the peasants came up with is nourishing and good quality, which is why many people have always considered it tasty and healthy, the Irish especially love it. Over the years, they passed on simple recipes for preparing various dishes, including delicious yeast-free bread, from generation to generation.
Any food with it will become even tastier and more satisfying, and if you cut Irish soda bread with raisins, dried apricots and nuts for tea or coffee, then, believe me, you will no longer want any sweetness. When the whole family gathers around the table for the holidays, soda bread is served along with delicious hearty dishes. Its excellent taste goes well with any dishes and drinks and successfully complements them.
Will there be 4-8 people dining at your table? Great, that means one loaf will be enough for them. Cut it or break it carefully, but don't be afraid, it won't cover your table with crumbs. Do you want to cook a hearty meat stew or treat your friends to Irish beer? Then bake some bread and don't worry about anything else, that will be enough. Guests will be full and satisfied, and the cozy atmosphere, thanks to the aroma of fresh baked goods, will relax and remain in their memory for a long time.
You can cut Irish soda bread the same way you would cut bread or loaf from the store.
