Traditional 4 ingredient Irish Soda Bread is the best easy recipe to make from scratch. A dense, crusty, hearty bread recipe from Ireland. Gluten free option too!
Preheat oven to 450°F, prep a 10 inch or larger cast iron skillet with a little oil or melted butter or place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Whisk together dry ingredients (all purpose flour, salt and soda) in a large bowl (glass or ceramic are preferable, they won't react with the acidity in the dough) Make a small well in the center and pour in buttermilk.
Using a sturdy wooden spoon stir until a shaggy dough forms. With clean hands, gently work the mixture into a sticky dough, incorporating all of the dry ingredients. You might need a little more buttermilk.
Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and pat the dough into a round disc, about 1 ½ - 2 inches in thickness. Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, score the dough in a cross pattern, then puncture each of the quarters with the tip of a knife.
Melt a couple teaspoons of butter by placing a cast iron skillet (<-- my favorite!) in preheated oven for a few minutes, swirl around to coat bottom of pan. Place savory soda bread dough into pan and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, then TURN THE TEMPERATURE DOWN to 400 degrees F and bake for 25 additional minutes.
Maybe this part of an old wives tale, I could not find a "reason" for this step, but after baking for 25 minutes, turn it upside down (carefully) and bake for 5 more minutes. Tapping on the bottom should yield a hollow sound. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serve in wedges, slathered with Irish butter!
Notes
BUTTERMILKNormally if you are out of buttermilk, I tell you to make your own (1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup milk, stir and let sit 5-10 minutes) however; it is not quite as sour or as thick as real buttermilk. But if you need to make it, make it, let it sour and come to room temperature.GLUTEN-FREE SODA BREADReplace all of the flour with gluten-free all purpose (1:1 cup for cup) flour. Or try a combination of GF AP Flour and GF Oat Flour, maybe a 3:1 ratio. Gluten-free flours tend to absorb a bit more liquid, you might need to add up to 2 cups buttermilk. HIGH ALTITUDE INSTRUCTIONS: No adjustments necessary for high altitude.