Brown Soda Bread has a natural rustic beauty, full of flavor and a slightly sweet crunchy crust that is super easy to make. No yeast, no proofing, just a few ingredients needed and can be made within One Hour to serve an entire family!
It’s been a minute since this Skillet Irish Soda Bread was made, which by the way, I was truly impressed on the turn out. It has a natural rustic beauty and it tasted better than I could have ever imagined. I loved it!
It’s not often I make bread so at that time before it was made, I was a bit skeptical that a loaf of bread could be fully risen without yeast. Unless of course, if it were sweet breads, made from a batter and not a dough, which is something I enjoy from time to time. Soda breads are unique in its rising process by using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) rather than yeast which makes this bread super easy to make!
A brown soda bread, commonly known as, brown bread, is a traditional quick bread served across a few European countries, particularly more popular in Ireland. It has the same baking process as the traditional white soda bread. Just as easy to make with a few ingredients, no yeast or proofing necessary and barely any kneading involved.
As a matter of fact, any kneading involved is only enough to get the dough to stick together; not necessarily to strengthen the gluten process. This bread is meant to have a soft interior which is why cake flour or pastry flour is commonly used for its lower protein content.
By a swap of a few ingredients from the white soda bread version, within an hour, you can have a loaf that has beautifully risen with a crunchy, slightly sweet crust, enough to serve a family. Lately, I’ve been into soups and so having a slice has become a great accompaniment. And the occasional slice with salted butter and fruit spread is another way I enjoy mine.
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Irish Brown Soda Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 inch loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Brown Soda Bread has a natural rustic beauty, full of flavor and a slightly sweet crunchy crust that is super easy to make. No yeast, no proofing, just a few ingredients needed and can be made within One Hour to serve an entire family!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (58 grams) cake flour
- 1/2 cup (30 grams) wheat bran or wheat germ
- 3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 grams) salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups (438 grams) buttermilk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flours, wheat bran, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Using a pastry blender or a long tined fork, cut in butter until fully incorporated into the flour mixture.
- Add 1 1/2 cups (375 grams) buttermilk into the flour mixture and using the pastry blender or fork, mix the buttermilk into the flour until a dough with large lumps begins to form and there is no dry flour remaining at the bottom of the bowl. Add 1/4 cup 63 grams) buttermilk to the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is moistened.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat dough into a 6-inch (15 cm) round. Note: the dough may have large lumps and look shaggy. Transfer dough onto the prepared baking pan. Score deep cross on top of the dough about 5 inches (13 cm) in length and 3/4-inch (2 cm) deep.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice, spread salted butter and/or marmalade and serve. ENJOY!
Notes
1/2 cup cake flour can be substituted for 1/2 cup wheat bran or wheat germ.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Cuisine: Irish
Keywords: brown soda bread, Irish brown bread. no yeast baking, 1 hour bread, bread baking
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLASSIC IRISH SODA BREAD FROM P. 34 OF COOK’S ILLUSTRATED BAKING BOOK.
Want more Irish-Inspired Bread Recipes? Click images below.
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