Imen Dridi Alton Brown’s Irish Soda Bread is the simplest bread you’ll ever make, requiring no proofing or kneading and taking only 55 minutes to be ready! with a texture similar to that of a biscuit, soda bread boasts a soft and delicate crumb.
Try More Alton Brown Recipes:
💗 Why You’ll Love This Irish Soda Bread Recipe:
- Few Ingredients: Minimal items are needed for a straightforward process.
- Customizable: Optional raisins/cranberries for a personalized touch.
- No-Knead: Easy method maintains a rustic, shaggy texture.
- Classic Taste: Authentic Irish Soda Bread flavor in every bite.
❓ What Is Alton Brown’s Irish Soda Bread Recipe?
Alton Brown’s Irish Soda Bread is a rustic and quick bread made with all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, butter, buttermilk, egg, and optional raisins or cranberries and it’s baked in a cast-iron skillet, creating a shaggy-textured loaf with a deep “X” on top.
🥚 Alton Brown Irish Soda Bread Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup more for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, plus 1/2 Tbsp to grease pan
- 1 3/4 cups cold low-fat buttermilk or kefir
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries, optional
🍞 How To Make Alton Brown Irish Soda Bread
- Set oven temperature to 375˚F. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet generously with half a tablespoon of butter.
- Throw the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Mince the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingers until crumbs form.
- Add the raisins, stirring to separate any clusters, and mix well. Create a depression in the center.
- Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a large measuring cup, then incorporate this buttermilk and egg mixture into the flour mixture.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until only slightly dampened and the dough just begins to assemble.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and, using floured hands, shape it into a circular loaf shape. It needs to be shaggy.
- Lightly sprinkle with flour if it becomes too sticky to work with. Bread will become stiff if it is over-mixed.
- Place in the buttered pan and make a big, deep “X” with a knife mark on top. Bake for 50-55 minutes in the middle of a preheated oven set to 375 degrees. It should sound hollow when you tap the bread. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack.
💭 Recipe Tips
- Do not over-mix – the dough needs to come together before baking, much like with scones.
- Sticky dough – stickiness will be felt by the dough. Add enough flour to your hands and work area to make working with the dough easy.
- Cold ingredients – it is not necessary to allow the ingredients to reach room temperature. Chill the butter, egg, and buttermilk.
- Generously grease the pan – before baking, grease your cast-iron skillet so the bread can rise without sticking.
- Cool on a rack – soda bread will not steam and go soggy on the bottom if cooled on a rack after baking.
🥪 How To Serve Irish Soda Bread?
If you’re looking for some creative ways to use Irish soda bread try with sandwiches, smoked salmon and cream cheese, toasted with avocado, butter, jam, soup, salad, or bread pudding with citrus marmalades.
🎚 How To Store Leftover Irish Soda Bread?
- At Room Temperature: You may keep leftover Irish soda bread for 3 to 4 days at room temperature if you place it in a container or cover it with plastic.
- In The Fridge: Transfer leftover Irish soda bread to a plastic bag and preserve it in the fridge for at least a week.
- In The Freezer: To freeze leftover Irish soda bread for 3 months, roll it tightly in foil and put it in a freezer-safe bag. Let it thaw in the fridge before eating.
🥵 How To Reheat Irish Soda Bread?
- Oven: Adjust the oven temperature to 325°F then prepare a baking sheet for Irish soda bread and heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated.
- Microwave: Arrange Irish soda bread on the microwave-safe plate and heat for 1 minute on low to medium power until warm.
- Air Fryer: Bring up the air fryer to 320°F then toss Irish soda bread in an air fryer basket and heat for 2 minutes, or until hot.
FAQs
What’s the difference between Irish bread and Irish soda bread?
Irish brown bread features a deep, nutty taste from wheat flour and wheat bran, while Irish soda bread relies on white flour.
Why is my Irish soda bread gummy?
Cutting into Irish soda bread too quickly can make it gummy allow it to cool thoroughly to let the interior set and avoid a sticky or gummy texture.
Why is my Irish soda bread so dry?
Irish soda bread can become dry if overmixed to maintain moisture, mix only until ingredients are combined, as excessive mixing can lead to a drier texture.
Is Irish soda bread like sourdough bread?
Irish soda bread rises with baking soda and acids, while sourdough relies on yeast and bacteria fermentation, marking a fundamental difference in leavening agents.
Try More Alton Brown Recipes:
Alton Brown Irish Soda Bread Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 164
- Total Fat 2.8g
- Saturated Fat 0.6g
- Cholesterol 10mg
- Sodium 226mg
- Potassium 151mg
- Total Carbs 32g
- Net Carbs 30g
- Dietary Fiber 1g
- Protein 4g
Alton Brown Irish Soda Bread
Description
Alton Brown’s Irish Soda Bread is the simplest bread you’ll ever make, requiring no proofing or kneading and taking only 55 minutes to be ready! with a texture similar to that of a biscuit, soda bread boasts a soft and delicate crumb.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Set oven temperature to 375˚F. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet generously with half a tablespoon of butter.
- Throw the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Mince the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingers until crumbs form.
- Add the raisins, stirring to separate any clusters, and mix well. Create a depression in the center.
- Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a large measuring cup, then incorporate this buttermilk and egg mixture into the flour mixture.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until only slightly dampened and the dough just begins to assemble.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and, using floured hands, shape it into a circular loaf shape. It needs to be shaggy.
- Lightly sprinkle with flour if it becomes too sticky to work with. Bread will become stiff if it is over-mixed.
- Place in the buttered pan and make a big, deep “X” with a knife mark on top. Bake for 50-55 minutes in the middle of a preheated oven set to 375 degrees. It should sound hollow when you tap the bread. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Do not over-mix – the dough needs to come together before baking, much like with scones.
Sticky dough – stickiness will be felt by the dough. Add enough flour to your hands and work area to make working with the dough easy.
Cold ingredients – it is not necessary to allow the ingredients to reach room temperature. Chill the butter, egg, and buttermilk.
Generously grease the pan – before baking, grease your cast-iron skillet so the bread can rise without sticking.
Cool on a rack – soda bread will not steam and go soggy on the bottom if cooled on a rack after baking.
