Irish Brown Soda Bread: FREE Virtual Cooking Class from Feed Your Soul

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 Grandma’s Brown Soda Bread

Yield: 2 pound loaf

10 oz (about 2 1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

6 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) whole wheat flour

1-1/4 cup cold buttermilk

1-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

4 ounces cold unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

2 tablespoon optional flavorings: ground farro, oatmeal, flake sea salt, chopped dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly butter and flour a 3 or 4 quart Dutch oven or 10” round cake pan, set aside. In a large bowl sift together both flours, salt, and baking soda. Using hands or a pastry cutter, knead in the butter until flour is a crumb texture. Make a well in the center of the bowl and slowly add most of the buttermilk until a soft dough forms, adding more buttermilk as needed. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and lightly knead until dry flour is no longer visible. Do not, however, over mix or allow too much gas to escape the dough. 

Shape dough into a flat round and sprinkle top with choice of flavorings Place in the bottom of the prepared pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough. Cover the pan with a lid or another pan and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 F. Remove lid and continue to bake until the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 15 to 20 minutes. Gently remove the bread from the pan.  Cover the bread with a clean tea towel and place on a wire rack until cool. Enjoy the day baked and serve with Irish butter.

Chef Tip: soft winter wheat pastry flour is the closest flour to traditional Irish flour used in brown soda bread (my grandma used to grind her own). However, it can be difficult to find. If you are able to get some, (save some for me) adjust your recipe to 12 oz wheat pastry flour and 4 oz ap flour.  Need this in cups? I use https://www.inchcalculator.com/convert/ounce-flour-to-cup-flour/

Fresh Butter

Yield: About 6 ounces butter

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 cup ice cold water mixed with crushed ice cubes

Optional flavorings, such as sea salt or kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon), herbs, spices, fruits, preserves, edible flowers, etc.

Place the cream in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process the cream until the butter begins to separate from the buttermilk and the butterfat granules are about half the size of a pea. Stain off buttermilk if using (The strained liquid is buttermilk.  It’s delicious and is now ready for another use). Next, with the machine running, pour in the ice water. The butter will immediately form a large mass. Quickly turn off the machine. Pour the entire contents of the bowl into a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl and let drain for several minutes.

Gather the ends of the cheesecloth together and squeeze, pushing downward to extract as much additional buttermilk as possible. Unwrap the butter solids from the cheesecloth and rinse the under cool running water.  Place the butter in a medium mixing bowl and continue pouring cool water over and draining until the water runs almost clear.  Next gently knead and folding the butter onto itself. Place the butter in a new dry mixing bowl and sprinkle it with 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired. Using a clean wooden spoon or silicone spatula, smear the butter repeatedly against the side of the bowl to incorporate air and distribute the salt evenly. Pour off any additional liquid the butter may release. Stir in optional flavorings, if desired. Once done, transfer the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a smooth-sided block or log. Refrigerate overnight before using for firm butter.

Chef Tip: Butter will keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.

Equipment List:

  • pastry cutter, optional

  • box grater, optional

  • 3 - 4 quart Dutch oven, 10” round cake pan, or cookie sheet with parchment

  • assorted mixing bowls

  • assorted mixing spoons

  • whisk

  • oven

  • tea towel, optional

  • wire cooling rack

  • strainer/sifter x 2

  • paring knife

  • food processor (preferred), stand or hand mixer

  • cheese cloth or a clean, flour sack towel

Shopping List:

  • 1 pint heavy cream

  • 1/2 cup ice cold water mixed with crushed ice cubes

  • 10 oz unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 6 oz whole wheat flour

  • 1-1/4 cup buttermilk

  • 1-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

  • 1-1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

  • 2 tablespoon optional flavorings for bread: coarse ground farro, oatmeal, flak sea salt, chopped dried fruit

  • Optional flavorings for butter: sea salt or kosher salt (about 1/4 teaspoon), herbs, spices, fruits, preserves, edible flowers, etc.

Do Before Class:

  • Preheat oven to 425℉

  • Chill butter and buttermilk

  • Weigh and measure all recipe ingredients

  • Have tools and equipment within reach

  • Review recipes and have questions ready!

Stacy Horn