Easy Irish Soda Bread (4 ingredients!)

Why this recipe works:

• Easy: it’s ridiculous how easy this is if we take into account the result. A snap to prepare, really. 
• Texture: for such a quick bread with no yeast the crumb is soft yet rustic at the same time with a nice crust.
• Ready in 1 hour: the longest part is the baking of course, but since it can be cut (and eaten!) while still warm, the time frame is considerably less than with regular yeast bread, like the Semolina Bread recipe for example. 
• Flavorings: you can add herbs or spices (caraway seeds are very traditional) or even some grated cheese, depending on what you’ll using it for. 

Ingredients

It takes only 4 very simple ingredients to make this recipe and they're all important.

• Baking soda: it’s called soda bread for a reason, which means this ingredient is absolutely essential and necessary to make the bread rise, so make sure it’s active and working. If in doubt put a half teaspoon in a little water. It should foam or bubble immediately. If it doesn't, buy fresh, and don't use the old for baking.
• Buttermilk: together with the baking soda they act as leavening agents. And also, it’s the acid ingredient that will counteract the metal flavor of the baking soda, it's a chemical reaction. If you use whole milk, for example, the bread will rise but the flavor will be more metallic. Trust me, I’ve done it years ago. Don't have buttermilk at home? Don't worry, a recipe for homemade buttermilk can be found in the Notes section of the recipe card at the end of this post.
• Flour: all-purpose or bread flour can be used. Flour compositions vary around the world, so sometimes I like to use some cake flour together with bread flour (about ¼ of the total amount) to give it a spongier texture. 
• Salt: don’t forget it unless you actually like salt-free bread. I use kosher salt.

Easy steps

It's very easy to make this bread and you only need a bowl and a wooden spoon.

Have all ingredients measured and ready, and the oven on.

1. Dry ingredients: sift the flour with salt and baking soda in a large bowl. It's important to sift the soda as it can be clumpy and won't dissolve during baking.
2. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture above, all at once.
3. Mix with a wooden spoon just until it's all moistened. Don't over-mix or beat the mixture.
4. Place the shaggy mass on a floured surface and sprinkle with extra flour.
5. Fold it onto itself a couple of times until you have a round loaf that holds together but is not smooth or firm. This is important. If you work the dough much or add flour until it's firm, the bread will be hard and not very eatable. Watch the video below for guidance. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured baking sheet.
6. Make a cross on top of the bread dough with a very sharp knife. It should not be very superficial but not go almost to the end of the dough. About ¾ of an inch deep is fine. Since the dough is wobbly, the cut will not be perfect and that is fine.

Baking soda bread

• Oven temperature: make sure the oven is preheated at the specified temperature (high temperature) in the recipe. This is important because it needs that first boost of heat to rise well.
• Color: it will bake to a wonderful golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and keep baking until it's done.
• When is the bread done? This traditional Irish soda bread needs to be fully baked inside, of course. So don't guide yourself only by the color of the crust, but carefully lift the center with a fork and check that there are no wet parts, similar to what I recommend when making a cobbler with a biscuit topping.

Kitchen notes

• Organization. Always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
• Baking time. Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
• Ingredients. Don't substitute them, as they are all necessary to get the best results.
• Sift the baking soda. It tends to harden when stored and you will probably find clumps when you measure it. Sifting before adding them to the flour will make sure the baking soda is well integrated. This is very important so don't skip it.
• Don't overwork the dough. This is an important part as it doesn't need to be kneaded, simply formed into a loose ball. If you mix it or knead it a lot, it will develop the gluten that exists in the flour and will toughen the baked bread.
• Eat it the day it's baked. I strongly recommend this. This no-yeast bread hardens quickly. If you want to freeze it do so while still barely warm and wrap well in plastic first and then in foil. I highly recommend you slice it first so you can have individual toast any time you want.
• Flour mixture: you can use part whole-wheat flour (make sure it's superfine for best texture), about ⅓ of the total amount. I use all white flour (all-purpose or bread), but I know adding some whole wheat is also traditional with this type of bread.