Irish Soda Bread. Or not.
Posted on March 1, 2014 by bob in A Gracious Plenty
No one claims the Irish invented Soda Bread – a cake-like bread made with baking soda rather than yeast – but the cultural identification took hold more than a hundred years ago and continues to this day in the form of Irish Soda Bread. The use and popularity of Soda Bread in Ireland was in fact born out of necessity.
In the 1800s Ireland’s wheat crop was of the ‘soft’ variety, not the ‘hard’ wheat necessary for baking good yeast breads. Since baking soda worked well with the soft Irish flour, a tradition was born.
Flour, buttermilk, baking soda and salt are the basic building block of Soda Bread, with a multitude of recipes (including this one) calling for additional ingredients, including an assortment of fruit. According to some, once you add fruit of any kind, the results cannot be properly termed “Soda Bread,” but should instead be labeled “Spotted Dog.”
Whether “Soda Bread” or “Spotted Dog,” these breads are dense, moist, and often – how can I put this tactfully – visually unappealing. Some say downright ugly. The appearance, however, has no affect on the taste.
A hearty thump on the top of the bread will tell you if it’s done.
Most recipes call for an “X” to be cut into the top of the bread prior to baking. Irish folklore offers several explanations, including making it easier to divide into four pieces, to let the Devil out while it’s baking in the hot oven, and to celebrate Christian holidays with a symbol of the cross.
So crank up the oven, mix up the recipe, bake, cool, slather with good butter and enjoy.
Recipe Ingredients:
— 3 cups flour
— 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon uncooked oatmeal
— 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
— 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
— 3/4 teaspoon salt
— 3/4 cup currants
— 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
— 1 large, lightly beaten egg
— 2 tablespoons honey
— 1 tablespoon melted butter
— 1/4 cup brandy
Combine currants and brandy in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
Most of what you’ll need (I forgot the buttermilk).
Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a bowl, mix the flour, 1 cup oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup buttermilk, honey, egg, butter ‘till blended.
Add this to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
Stir in currants and brandy.
Place dough on a lightly-floured work surface. Dough will be sticky. Add flours as needed.
Knead the dough into a hemisphere. Northern or Southern is up to you.
Knead 5-6 times, then shape into a ball.
Place on the baking sheet and form into an 8″ hemisphere.
Brush the top with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining oats.
Slash the top of the dough with an “X” (about 1/2″ deep).
Bake until golden brown and a ‘thump’ yields a hollow sound (30-40 minutes).
Cool about 10-15 minutes on a rack (but not so long the butter won’t melt).
A Note on St. Patrick’s Day
“Laughter is brightest where food is best.+ Old Irish proverb
March 17th is celebrated as St. Patrick’s Day to honor the patron saint of Ireland. First publicly celebrated in Boston in 1737, it was 200 years before the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Ireland. Other countries celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with parades or other festivities include Japan, New Zealand, Argentina and Canada.
