No need to bake a whole Irish soda to enjoy this warm quick bread!
You may be use to scones, powder biscuits…are you use to soda bread? Maybe a little less. And there could be one simple reason: recipes are usually for one big soda bread to share. Of course they are beautifully round, crusty and fluffy at the same time, warm and buttery flavoured…
Well, you can have that, just for you! I imagined this recipe following these goals:
- Making an easy and quick breakfast/snack
- Enjoying a warm and easy quick bread
- Enjoying an Irish soda bread without making a big one
- Creating a little Irish soda bread as beautifully shaped and crusty as a big one
Irish soda bread vs Scones
There is not a big difference between the two regarding the list of ingredients:
Flour
Baking Powder
Sugar
Cold butter
Milk
The differences stays in the ratio of sugar and butter, the choice of the milk (buttermilk or equivalent mandatory for the Irish soda breads) and of course, the baking soda.
The texture of the Irish soda bread is less dense and fluffy than a scone, but its airy and bready (is that word?) texture is equally goof. This is just different.
This Irish soda bread is very easy to assemble: if you are familiar with scones, you don’t have to think a lot about it.
How To Make Irish Soda Bread For One
Mix the dry ingredients
Rub the cold butter with a pastry cutter
Add the buttermilk (and raisins if you really want a pure sweet Irish soda bread) and mix just until moistened
Shape in a round shape
Bake at 425°F and let it shine in the oven and crack in your mouth!
I really advise you to enjoy it just a few minutes after removing the soda bread from the oven. That way, you’ll just have to spread a flavorful salted (yes, salted! So good.) butter and look and drool while it melts… (Am I going to far? 😉 ).
Or, you can toast it: the crust will crack and the crumb will warm up to allow the butter to melt when you spread it. But, that’s up to you.
Soda Bread {For One}
Ingredients
- 51 g all-purpose flour 1/3 cup + 1 leveled tbsp
- 4 g granulated sugar 1 tsp
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 7 g unsalted butter -cold and cubed- 1 heaped tsp
- 42 ml buttermilk -cold- 1.35 fluid ounces
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to to 425°F (220°C). Grease a 8-10 inch oven safe skillet or cake pan with butter or nonstick spray or a baking sheet.
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MIX THE DRY INGREDIENTS
With a spatula, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt.
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Add the cold and cubed butter, and incorporate into the dough by rubbing with your hands or a pastry cutter: the pastry cutter would be better to work this dough as it remains cold as you work it, unlike your hands.
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Add the cold buttermilk in the mixture, and gently mix everything together. Like a scone, do not overwork your dough, or it will result in a tough bread.
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When everything forms an homogeneous mass, transfer on a generously floured surface. Try not to incorporate to much flour, although it is needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
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Transfer the dough on your skillet/cake pan/baking sheet, and wit a sharp knife, make a cross on top of your soda bread.
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Bake for about 12-15 min, or until a nice brown color. Serve warm with salted butter or jam!