Soda bread is bread that is leavened with baking soda instead of the yeast. This bread was first found in Ireland in the 1830’s, and continued to be a staple in the community mainly as a practical necessity. Today this bread is baked around the world in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy it with soups and stews, or slice it as toast smeared with delicious Irish butter. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 TBL fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 TBL unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda (hence “Soda Bread” 😊)
- 1 large egg
- 1 orange zested (about 1 TBL)
- ¼ tsp green food color gel or liquid (optional)
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Measure milk into glass measuring cup and add lemon juice. Set aside.
- Place flour into large mixing bowl. Add room temp butter. Rub butter and flour together with fingers until butter is the size of small peas.
- Add sugar, salt and baking soda into flour mixture, make a well, and set aside.
- To milk mixture, add orange zest, egg, and food coloring. Mix to combine.
- Pour milk mixture into the flour well. Stir in circular motion to slowly mix in the flour.
- Once most of the liquid is dissolved, use your hands to knead the dough slightly in the bowl to finish incorporating the flour. Dough will be very wet.
- Shape dough into a circle and place on prepared cookie sheet. Cut an “X” on top of the dough.
- Bake at 375°F for 40-60 minutes, until outside is browned and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
