In Photos: How To Make Irish Soda Bread
Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients
To make this easy recipe, start by whisking flour, baking soda, and salt together in a big bowl.
Step 2: Add Buttermilk
Next, you’re going to add in buttermilk. The exact amount can vary based on the humidity in your kitchen on any given day, so you’ll want to start with a smaller amount and work your way up as needed.
Step 3: Mix With Hands
Once you’ve added about 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk, begin mixing the dough with your clean hands. This is the way we were taught by the chefs at Ballymaloe! They taught us to make a “claw” with our fingers and mix the dough gently by hand.
You can get a better idea of what this looks like by viewing the video in the recipe card below.
Step 4: For Sticky Ball
If your dough seems really dry, add more buttermilk, a little at a time, until it gathers into a big, sticky ball.
Step 5: Add To Baking Sheet
Wash your hands, then transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
Step 6: Form Disc
Then dust your hands with flour and pat the dough into a circle that’s about 1 1/2-inches thick.
Step 7: Score Bread
Flour the blade of your knife, and score the bread in a criss-cross pattern. This is traditional for Irish soda bread! It helps the loaf to rise evenly in the oven.
Step 8: Create Slit
Last but not least, use the tip of your knife to puncture a slit in each of the 4 quarters. This is so important! My teacher at Ballymaloe explained that you have to do this in order to let the faeries out!
Step 9: Bake
Bake the bread at a very high temperature initially (450°F; this is not a typo!), then turn the oven down and finish baking at a slightly lower temp. This will really help the bread to rise nicely and be fluffy!
You’ll know your soda bread is done baking when it’s golden and crusty, and it makes a hollow sound when you tap it with the tips of your fingers.