Irish Soda Bread

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 200C fan and dust a baking tray with flour. Get this done before you mix anything.

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2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.

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3. Pour in most of the buttermilk with the honey if using, and bring it together with one hand held like a claw, turning the bowl. Add the rest of the buttermilk only if there is dry flour left.

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4. Stop the moment it comes together as a soft, sticky dough. It should take about 30 seconds.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

5. Tip onto a floured surface, turn it over twice to shape a round, and flatten slightly to about 5 cm high.

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6. Set it on the tray and cut a deep cross right across the top, going about two-thirds of the way down.

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7. Bake 15 minutes at 200C fan, then turn down to 180C fan and bake another 25 to 30 minutes.

   Mark done Start 25 min timer

8. It is done when the base sounds hollow. Cool on a rack under a clean tea towel for a soft crust, or uncovered for a crisp one.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Oven hot before you start mixing. The reaction is already running.
• Thirty seconds of handling, no more. This is not a bread you knead.
• The deep cross is not decoration — it lets the middle cook through.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of buttermilk? Stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the same amount of ordinary milk and let it sit five minutes before using.

Pairing Suggestions

• Salted butter
• Irish stew
• Smoked salmon

Storage & Reheating

Best on the day. Keeps 2 days wrapped, toasts well after that, and freezes 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.