Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when Irish soda bread is done baking? ›

Cover and bake until well risen and golden, 45 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking until chestnut brown, with an internal temperature of 210°F (99°C), 12 to 15 minutes longer.

If you've ever tried Irish soda bread and not liked it, don't go running off yet! Chances are good that the bread you ate suffered from one of three common problems: improper amount of baking soda (a gross, salty-bitter taste), over cooking (a dry, chalky texture), or undercooking (a soggy, doughy center).

And finally, don't immediately cut into the Fast Irish Soda bread when you pull it out of the oven. Although this bread is best served warm, cutting into it too quickly will turn the bread gummy.

Why does my Soda Bread not cook in the middle? The reason why your soda bread isn't cooking properly is very often that your oven isn't calibrated correctly. Check your oven or adjust your temperature with the next try until you get it right. Baking is as much an art as it is a science.

Keep the bread in the pan and lightly tap it against the countertop. Listen for a hollow sound inside the bread as you tap the pan down on the counter. If the bread makes a solid thud, the bread needs more time in the oven. But if you hear a hollow, drum-like sound, your soda bread is done and ready to be enjoyed.

Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread, similar to a scone, but can easily become dry if overmixed. Quickly add the wet ingredients to a well you've made in the dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a dough hook until it just comes together.

Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-work the dough the bread will end up tough.

Nutrition Notes

Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

You spent too much time kneading the dough. Baking soda starts to react and release its gas as soon as it comes into contact with the sour milk. Take too long and the gas will escape before the bread is baked. Kneading will also cause chewy gluten to form.

For this reason, the reality is that Irish soda bread is much closer to a quick bread or scone than a loaf of bread. It rises thanks to a process called chemical leavening, in which the baking soda (a base) reacts when it's mixed with something acidic like buttermilk to produce carbon dioxide.

Can you leave soda bread dough overnight? ›

Soda bread gets its name from baking soda, which, added in the right amount, creates levity without the use and wait of yeast. (Some recipes call for yeast and kneading, but know this isn't required.) You don't have to wait hours or overnight for a rise, either.

The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in a classic round fashion and cut a cross on top of the bread. This was done for superstitious reasons, as families believed a cross on top of the bread would let the fairies out or ward off evil and protect the household.

Bake the for 40-45 minutes. You'll know it's done when the exterior is brown, craggy and split at the score, and the bread is well-risen. Tap your knuckles on the bottom, and if it sounds hollow, it's done.

Fixing Undercooked Bread

Heat the oven to 350 F, return the bread to the oven, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. This will work even if the loaf has cooled, which is similar to par-baking bread. If you are concerned about the bread browning too much, tent the loaf with foil.

For proper leavening action, a correct acid-to-base ratio is critical, and the acidity of your acid ingredient can vary. Without enough acid to neutralize the soda, the bread will develop a jaundiced, yellow hue and will give off a bitter metallic wang that hangs in your nose and throat.

Remember the golden rule. You can undercook bread but you can't really overcook it unless you have a mind to. Remove from the oven when you are happy the loaves sound hollow and are cooked all through. Place on trivet to cool.

You spent too much time kneading the dough. Baking soda starts to react and release its gas as soon as it comes into contact with the sour milk. Take too long and the gas will escape before the bread is baked. Kneading will also cause chewy gluten to form.

If your Irish soda bread is too crumbly, it may be because you overmixed the dough. Another possibility is that your baking soda was expired and should be replaced. Make sure you are using the correct amount of baking soda in the recipe. Too much or too little can result in a crumbly loaf.