Irish Cuisine: Soda Bread

Soda bread on the Emerald Isle dates back to 1840 when baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) was introduced to the island. Due to conditions in Ireland, it is hard to cultivate hard wheat which rises easily with traditional yeast, so baking soda was used to replace yeast as a leavening agent. Soda has become a staple of the Irish table ever since.

Below you'll find a recipe for Irish Soda Bread. You can learn more about this traditional Irish bread at the Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread webpage....I didn't know it needed saving!!

VOCABULARY Emerald Isle - familiar name for Ireland hard wheat - blé dur yeast - levure leavening agent - agent de ferment staple - aliment de base

It appears everyone has thier Irish soda bread recipe. Some with caraway seeds, some with raisins, some with both, some with neither. The essential ingredients are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The acid in buttermilk reacts with the base of the baking soda to provide the leavening for this quick bread. Soda bread dries out quickly so is only good for a day or two. It is best eaten freshly baked and warm or toasted.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients: 550g Plain Flour 1 teasp Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) Approx. 450ml Buttermilk 1/2 teasp Salt a little Fresh Milk 25g Sugar

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, Gas Mark 7 and lightly grease a baking tray. 2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. 3. Pour in nearly all the milk and mix to a loose dough, adding more milk if necessary. 4. With floured hands, knead lightly on a floured flat surface and shape into a flatish round . Cut a deep cross into the top. 5. Place on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200C, 400F, gas mark 6 and bake for a further 25 minutes.

VOCABULARY caraway seeds - des graines de carvi buttermilk - babeurre, lait de beurre quick bread - un pain (les cakes, muffins, etc..) qui utilise un agent de ferment comme le bicarbonate du soude, la levure chimique ou crème de tartre (bitartrate de potassium) a well - un puit dough - une pâte to knead - pétrir, malaxer