Traditional Soda Bread

Soda bread is a quick bread traditionally made using baking soda as a leavening agent instead of yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid that reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added to quick breads, such as butter, egg, fruit and nuts. The advantage of quick breads is they are easy to prepare quickly and reliably compared to yeast breads.

This recipe makes 1 loaf and takes less than an hour to make. Other than cooling I can make a loaf in 50 minutes.

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Mixing Bowl

Whisk

Sharp Knife

Baking Sheet

Measuring Cup

Measuring Spoon

Mixing Spatula

Preheat oven to 425°F 220°C. Mixing should take less time than it takes to preheat the oven.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda salt and whisk the ingredients together.

Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in buttermilk.

Mix the buttermilk into the dry ingredients until they are combined. Use your hands when most of the buttermilk is absorbed.

Do not overwork or knead the dough.

The dough texture should be slightly crumbly but just sticking together.

Baking

Form the dough into a shape you like and place it on a greased baking sheet.

Make an "X" if round or a line in the dough with a knife, about an inch deep.

Bake on the center rack for 40 minutes or until outside is browned.

Let the bread cool before cutting and serving.