White Soda Bread Recipes

SOFT WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Place the warm water and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the yeast to proof.
• Add the butter and 2 cups of the flour, and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.
• Stir in an additional 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups of flour, along with the salt, mixing until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
• Continue to knead, adding an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour, until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Place the dough in a large greased bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
• Lightly mist a 5 cup loaf pan with non-stick spray.
• Punch down the dough and shape it into a loaf.
• Place the dough in the prepared pan, cover it loosely with greased plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (30 to 45 minutes).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Uncover the dough and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
• Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices - or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

PAUL HOLLYWOOD'S SODA BREAD (NO-YEAST)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. (390 Fahrenheit)
• In a large bowl, add the white and wholemeal flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and mix gently with the tips of your fingers.
• Make a well in the middle and add about 1 and a half cups of buttermilk, if you feel it needs some more, add the other half too.
• Mix quickly to form a soft, pretty sticky dough, then turn it onto a lightly-floured surface and knead briefly, just enough for the dough to hold together and be shaped into a ball.
• Flour a large baking tray, place the bread on it, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the top. Spread some flour over it, then bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• Allow it to cool on a wire rack.

EASY WHITE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Pour a tablespoon of white wine vinegar into the milk in a jug and leave to thicken for 10-15 minutes. Once it has thickened you can continue with the next step.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Place the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.Pour in the milk.
• Stir together the ingredients and it will start to come together as a dough.
• Once combined, transfer the dough to a floured surface, bring the dough together into a ball roughly. Don't knead, you don't need to knead soda bread, and kneading can make it dense and heavy. Make two deep slashes in the top of the dough.
• Transfer the dough to a baking tray and brush on the egg wash.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and the base sounds hollow when tapped.Remove from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes then devour!

WHITE SODA BREAD WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together into a mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center.
• Pour in most of the buttermilk.
• Stir just until all ingredients are incorporated. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Add the remaining buttermilk if it's too dry.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll it around a little to make it neater. Don't knead.
• Pat dough into a round loaf about 2" high.
• Place on a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough.
• Irish folklore insists that you must now prick each section of the dough with your knife, to let the Little People out (what they're doing in your bread in the first place, I can't imagine).
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 400°F and bake until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes more.
• For the variations, stir in the additional ingredients before adding the buttermilk.

HERBED WHITE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, make a well in the center and pour all of the buttermilk in at once. Using 1 hand, stir in a full circle starting in the center of the bowl working towards the outside of the bowl until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured board. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Roll dough around gently with floured hands for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip the dough over. Pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2-inches deep. Sprinkle a little flour onto the center of a baking sheet and place the loaf on top of the flour. Cut a deep cross on it with a sharp knife, prick the four sections to let the fairies out. Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until just cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack.

WHITE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• First fully preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Sift the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour all of the milk in at once. Using 1 hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured board.
• Wash and dry your hands.
• Knead lightly for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip over. Pat the dough into a round about 12 inches (2.5 centimeters) and cut a cross on it to let the fairies out! Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.
• Soda bread only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make and 20 to 30 minutes to bake. It is certainly another of my 'great convertibles'. We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun-dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.